The big wet in Sydney is Hugh Bowman's concern with Jameka
The big wet in Sydney is Hugh Bowman’s concern with Jameka going into the Group One BMW but the leading jockey has no doubts about the Caulfield Cup-winning mare’s class.
Bowman rode Jameka for the first time in the Group One Australian Cup earlier this month when the four-year-old was gallant in defeat after working forward from a wide draw then being pressured before the home turn.
Jameka surged to the front from the top of the long Flemington straight and only Humidor was able to get to her, and then past her, inside the final 50m.
They meet again in Saturday’s BMW (2400m) at Rosehill and both occupy the second line of betting at $4.20 behind Ranvet Stakes winner Our Ivanhowe.
“She was great in the Australian Cup. I don’t think you can take anything away from her,” Bowman said of Jameka.
“It was a winning performance but circumstances went against us, and I’d like to think we’d certainly be capable of turning the tables this week.”
But Bowman would much prefer a drier track than what is likely given Sydney’s continuing wet weather.
“It would be lovely to see the track improve but the reality is it’s unlikely,” Bowman said.
“I wouldn’t be as confident on a really wet track.”
Jameka did win the VRC Oaks on a track rated in the heavy range against her own age and sex in the spring of 2015.
Bowman said when the pressure came on in the Australian Cup he decided to let Jameka keep striding rather than hold her up and allow Humidor and some of the others to creep closer.
“I felt like if I held on to her I was going to be wasting energy by holding her,” he said.
“I don’t think she could have done any more.
“It certainly put her in good shape for 2400 metres anyway because it was a hard run.”
