It’s not the race morning call a jockey wants to get, but Reece Jones’ commitment to waste for a pick-up ride has been rewarded with Lighthouse Lass overcoming a tardy start to post her second career win.
Returning from a week-long break, Jones had been booked for five rides at Rosehill, the lightest at 52.5kg.
Following final scratchings on Saturday morning, he received a belated call from trainer Will Freedman to ask if he would partner Lighthouse Lass at 52kg after the first emergency gained a start in the Kia Ora Bloodlines to Headlines Handicap (1100m).
Jones accepted, then got to work shedding the remaining half-kilo in record time.
“It was a little bit late notice, but the advantages of being four-feet tall,” Jones quipped.
“It definitely helps. I had to get the weight off this morning, and I’m glad I did now.”
Lighthouse Lass hadn’t won since scoring on debut at Scone in January last year, but had placed in five of her eight starts since joining Richard and Will Freedman in February.
Will Freedman was delighted to see her finally break through, and said she deserved a change of fortune.
“She’s had her fair share of bad luck,” Freedman said.
“The one thing that really benefitted her today was missing the kick and having a bit of room to build into it.
“She’s not that tractable when things don’t go her way. They did go her way today, and she was always going to be strong late because she’s come back in distance.”
Improving Chris Waller-trained four-year-old Tarzing notched his third win from five starts in the Irresistible Pools and Spas Handicap (1400m), capping a happy weekend for Canterbury Bulldogs General Manager of Football, Phil Gould, and club Chairman Adam Driussi.
Gould and Driussi are part-owners of Tarzing, and the horse’s success followed on the heels of the Bulldogs’ victory over the Gold Coast Titans on Friday night.
They might also have a handy horse on their hands with Waller’s assistant trainer, Darren Beadman, believing the four-year-old can continue to rise through the ranks.
“He really hasn’t put a foot wrong. His form was good in Melbourne, and he came up here in good order,” Beadman said.
“It was a nice win and he’s going through his grades nicely.”
