One of Victoria’s premier jockeys, Jamie Kah, says the opportunity to ride in Sydney’s $10 million Golden Eagle on Saturday aboard Peter Moody’s mare Chain Of Lightning was too good to pass up.
Kah will bypass Saturday’s time-honoured Derby day meeting at Flemington, which features three group 1s, worth a total of $5 million.
Jamie Kah has chosen to ride in Sydney over Flemington on Derby day.Credit:Scott Barbour/Racing Photos
With Racing NSW boss Peter V’landys bolstering prizemoney in Sydney on key Melbourne spring carnival dates, jockeys have been left with two lucrative options to choose between, in particular this Saturday.
But Kah said she didn’t really have a leading Derby hope, and with Moody eager for her to ride his mare in the rich 1500-metre race for four-year-olds, she couldn’t overlook the opportunity.
“It wasn’t an easy decision, but I just thought I had a really good chance up in Sydney with [Peter] Moody’s horse,” she said.
“She was fantastic winning the other day here [in Melbourne], and you’ve got to go where your trainers want you to go. I didn’t really think I had a good Derby chance, so that’s the decision we made.”
Champion European jockey Frankie Dettori is also heading to Sydney on Saturday to ride in the Golden Eagle, as is Jamie Spencer, who rode in Saturday’s Cox Plate. Meanwhile, William Buick – also one of the UK’s top jockeys – is riding at Flemington on Derby day, as is Sydney’s champion rider James McDonald.
Kah believes Chain Of Lightning can win Saturday’s fourth running of the Golden Eagle, which carries a $5.25 million top prize, of which the winning jockey would be entitled to at least five per cent ($262,500).
“She’s a fantastic mare,” Kah said.
“The time I rode her and got beaten on her, I didn’t think the race suited her. There wasn’t much pressure.
Jamie Kah will ride beaten Caulfield Cup favourite Smokin’ Romans in next week’s Melbourne Cup.Credit:Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images
“I think she’s really good when there’s a hot speed like the other day. I’m just really looking forward to riding her. She does go on the wet as well if they get a bit of rain.
“She’s talented, and I’m excited Moody asked me to go up there and ride her.”
Kah will be back for next Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup, however, where she’ll ride beaten Caulfield Cup favourite Smokin’ Romans.
Kah has only once ridden in the Melbourne Cup, in 2020 on Prince Of Arran in front of an empty Flemington grandstand, and missed last year’s entire spring carnival after being suspended for attending an Airbnb during Melbourne’s COVID-19 lockdowns, which broke the state government’s curfew.
The star jockey, winner of the 2020-21 Victorian Metropolitan Jockeys Premiership, said she was keen to make up for lost time.
“I actually didn’t watch the Cup live [last year],” Kah said.
“I was at the beach with my dog. It was just a really difficult time, but we put that behind us now. Obviously, there were a lot of missed opportunities.
“More than anything, I missed riding. I missed being able to go out there and doing what I’m doing.
“That’s been the best part about being back, I’ve just been getting on a roll slowly and building confidence, and right now I think I’m full of confidence, I think I’m riding well and hopefully that can roll into Cup week.”
Kah belives Smokin’ Romans can bounce back to form, having won the Turnbull Stakes before his run in the Caulfield Cup, which did not go to plan.
“It’s just not the horse’s ideal racing style, he needs to get out and get rolling, he’s not a sit-sprint [horse], so I’ll be mindful of that and try and give him a bit more room than he had the other day,” Kah said.
“I think he’s a great chance; anything can happen, though.”
