A new Railway Stakes champion will be crowned at Ascot on Saturday and jockey, Michael Poy hopes he can reach the same heights as his father.
Poy is the son of former champion jockey, Michael Clarke and is going all out to complete a rare family treble in Perth’s famous mile race.
A four-time winner of Melbourne’s Jockey Premiership, Clarke was a household name in racing and considered one of the best riders of his generation.
Clarke won the 1986 Melbourne Cup on At Talaq and in 1990 joined forces with Better Loosen Up to win the Cox Plate and Japan Cup.
Before claiming two of his most memorable wins, Clarke and Better Loosen Up took out the 1989 Railway Stakes, romping home by four lengths.
Two years later Clarke made it a Group 1 Railway Stakes double when M’Lady’s Jewel proved too classy defeating Barossa Boy from a wide draw.
Poy has yet to scale the giddy heights as his dad, but says there has been no more important person who has guided and influenced his career.
Poy says winning the Railway Stakes on Karli’s Karma, 32 years after his father rode M’Lady’s Jewel, would be a genuine family triumph.
“I know more about Better Loosen Up’s win in the Railway,” Poy said to The Races WA.
“I’m more familiar with that win even though I wasn’t born at the time.
“It will always come up in replays somewhere.
“Dad and I speak most mornings; he always runs through my rides.
“We’ll look at Saturday’s race and find a plan to give the horse the best chance.
“I know he is proud of me and it would be a unique family achievement for sure.”
Poy believes being entrusted with the ride on Karli’s Karma in the Railway Stakes vindicates his decision to relocate to Perth this year in a bid to secure further opportunities.
The 24-year-old hit the ground running and posted his biggest win since crossing west when combining with Startrade in the Group 3 Hyperion Stakes (1600m).
“I came here knowing the carnival was coming up and I didn’t have anything in Melbourne,” Poy said.
“If I stayed in Melbourne I was probably going to be in the bush.
“I thought I might be able to come over here (Perth) and get a name for myself.
“It only takes one trainer to give you a go and lucky enough I have a good friend, Jordan Rolfe.
“His horses are just flying at the moment and have put me on the map a bit.”
Poy chased hard to ride Karli’s Karma in the Railway Stakes and made his intentions clear to trainer Summer Dickson.
The door was left ajar when William Pike, who rode Karli’s Karma to victory in the Group 3 Eurythmic Stakes (1400m), opted to partner Alsephina.
“I made it pretty clear to Summer a long way from the Railway that I wanted this horse,” Poy said.
“I think she can win and Summer thinks she can run well.
“I said I would come down and do all the work on her and lucky enough she stood by me.”
Poy is also backing in Dickson to have Karli’s Karma primed for her Railway Stakes assault.
The six-year-old goes in fresh and follows a slightly unorthodox path having not raced in five weeks.
She also has to overcome bad memories of last year’s Railway when a disappointing 13th.
But Poy says he has no doubt Dickson will have Karli’s Karma at her top for Saturday.
“She honestly knows this horse better than anyone,” Poy said.
“She knows her better than me and anyone else in this world.
“She’s backed herself and good on her for doing that.
“If she gets it right she is a genius and she’s done it before.”
