Louise Day was thrilled to notch a Saturday city win for her former boss Ciaron Maher, who she credits with putting her on a path towards her riding apprenticeship.
The Irish-born jockey is indentured to Kris Lees in Newcastle but started out as a trackwork rider for Maher in Victoria.
“I wasn’t apprenticed (to Maher) but when I first landed in Australia, I worked for him for about a year-and-a-half,” Day said.
“I couldn’t be apprenticed to him because I wasn’t a resident, but he sent me on my way up to NSW.
“I would have loved to have gone with him if he’d opened his stables sooner but it’s great to ride some winners for him now.
“He really opened some doors for me and he has really supported me the whole way through my apprenticeship.”
Maher continued that support on Saturday, booking Day to partner Charleise ($9.50) in the Cellarbrations Handicap (1500m) at Rosehill and the junior rider got the job done.
She brought the mare with a well-timed run to chase down Mensa Missile ($4.40 fav) and score by 2-1/2 lengths with Wairere Falls ($11) third.
Maher’s stable representative Jack Bruce said they were surprised at the four-year-old’s price given her consistent Victorian form, which included a last-start second at Sandown.
“That’s the beauty of being a dual-state operation. We can send them up here for good prize money, it’s good winter racing in Sydney and for the money that’s on offer, it’s worth it,” Bruce said.
