Much-travelled jockey Ron Stewart has made the most of his Singapore connection to ride his second winner for the week for co-trainers John and Chris Meagher.
Stewart gave Rich Affair ($8.50) the run of the race to beat Ringo’s A Rockstar ($3.20) by three-quarters of length with a half length to third-placed Peking Road ($41) in Saturday’s QTIS Three-Year-Old (1200m) at Eagle Farm.
A former champion Sydney apprentice, Stewart has had stints in Macau, Mauritius, South Australia and Singapore.
Stewart, who relocated to Brisbane last month, rode for John Meagher in Singapore where the trainer’s other son Dan is now based.
The jockey took a year off to get his helicopter pilot’s licence but was quick to contact the Meaghers, who moved to Brisbane three years ago, when he decided to return to riding.
Stewart rode his first Brisbane metropolitan winner on the Meagher-trained Vital Love at Doomben on Wednesday.
“Ron rode our last winner in Singapore before we headed back to Australia. He will go really well here as he has a good head on him,” Chris Meagher said.
Rich Affair was bred by Brisbane Race Club Chairman and Kilto Park complex boss Neville Bell and went through the Magic Millions sales for $75,000.
“I kept a share in him and the Meaghers have done a great job to get him this far,” Bell said.
“His first-up run was good and then we threw him the deep end against Winning Rupert trying to make the Magic Millions Guineas but it was a bit rich.
“It was an easier task today but I think he can go on from here.”
Bell also bred Peking Road who looked as thought he might win at the 200m but peaked in the last 100m.
“Peking Road is bred to be a very good wet tracker being by Hidden Dragon out of an Easy Rocking mare. The rain early in the afternoon helped,” Bell said.
The meeting was also significant for Josh Oliver who rode his first winner as a senior jockey when Our Story ($9.50) won the Class Three Plate (1200m).
Our Story is trained by Billy Healy and his father Dale who are building a strong team at their Sunshine Coast property.
“I rode my last winner as an apprentice for the Healys and now my first as a senior jockey was for them. They are getting good results,” Oliver said.
