Leading New Zealand rider Lisa Allpress will ride at Sandown on Saturday on her first visit to Melbourne.
Having ridden with success internationally, leading New Zealand rider Lisa Allpress will break new ground with her first trip to Melbourne.
Allpress has been booked for three rides at Sandown on Saturday with former New Zealand galloper Aimee’s Jewel luring the jockey to Melbourne for the mare’s Australian debut.
A three-time winner from seven starts, Aimee’s Jewel runs for Charles Cassar in the Ladbrokes Punter Assist Handicap (1300m).
Allpress is a four-time premiership winner in New Zealand and sits in fourth place on this year’s table having spent time on the sidelines following a hip replacement.
Along with more than 1400 winners in New Zealand, Allpress has also ridden successfully in Japan, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia and Singapore along with riding in the UK.
The only time Allpress has ridden in Australia was in Queensland more than a decade ago.
“I’ve never even been to Melbourne in my life but I’m looking forward to getting over there and giving it a go,” Allpress said.
The only thing that can stop Allpress now is the closure of the ‘bubble’ between Australia and New Zealand with Allpress saying a two-week quarantine stint when returning home would be a ‘pain in the buttocks’.
Allpress said a quiet time back home was the lure to come across the ditch to ride Aimee’s Jewel, a horse she first laid eyes on at the Waverley jump-outs before the mare’s debut.
“I asked (former trainer) Trudy Keegan whether I’d be a chance of getting on her next time, so I rode her in another jump-out before she went to the races,” Allpress said.
“She was as good as she looked. She’s one of those big, bold mares that catches your eye and quite fast to go with it.”
Allpress remained in contact with majority owner Troy Pannell who said Allpress should come over to ride the mare in Australia.
Ironically, Allpress has been impressed by another Keegan-trained runner in a recent set of jump-outs.
Allpress has also been booked for Liapari in the Ladbrokes Bet Ticker Handicap (1400m) and Tolemac in the Ladbrokes Switch Handicap (1700m).
