The IT glitch that caused havoc around the globe stopped Blaike Mcdougall from taking out the feature race at Flemington on Saturday.
McDougall was booked to ride the Symon Wilde-trained Hit The Road Jack in the Deane Lester Flemington Cup (2800m) but was stranded in Mildura after an early morning flight was cancelled.
The jockey rode at the Mildura Cup meeting on Friday and had two rides booked at Flemington.
Michael Dee was the recipient of McDougall’s misfortune aboard Hit The Road Jack which completed a treble for the rider who only returned from holidays on Friday.
Hit The Road Jack ($8 betting) led home a one-two finish for Wilde, scoring a three-quarter length win from Dashing Duchess ($26) with Taramansour ($3.60) a further 1-½ lengths away third.
Dee said he received a phone call from Wilde 10 minutes before arriving at Flemington and had to ask twice who it was.
“I didn’t actually have his number saved and I had to ask who it was again,” Dee said.
“He said it was Symon Wilde and you’ve picked up a ride for me.
“I had a mate in the car, and he said it was a good ride and definitely worth picking up.”
Dee was able to quickly look at some replays of the former New Zealand galloper who was a last start winner of a maiden hurdle at Warrnambool.
“He’s a great old campaigner. He’s been around the traps all around New Zealand,” Dee said.
“I quickly watch a replay of when he won in New Zealand, and he would often take off midrace and keep going.
“Today the only key was to keep him one off the fence in a position where we could work into it.
“He made easy work of it, although at the 200 metres, he thought his work was done and was almost waiting for them a little bit, so it was a great effort.”
After earlier wins on First Settler and Liberami, and later on Horrifying, Dee notched his 50th metropolitan winner for the season and cemented his place in the top three in the Melbourne Jockeys’ Premiership behind Damian Lane and Blake Shinn.
Dee said it was also an honour to win the race named after renowned form student Deane Lester who died in February last year.
“I had plenty of help from Deane Lester in the past and it’s an honour to win this race,” Dee said.
“It’s great to get to 50 winners and being able to bring it up today.
“It’s awesome to finish in the top three, unless someone below has a blinder of a finish.”
