Awesome Rock wins Emirates Stakes1:21
Horse Racing: Awesome Rock has dug deep to take out the $2 million Emirates Stakes at Flemington.
My Girl Hayley puts apprentice Alannah Fancourt back in the winner’s circle
TONY Gollan took more satisfaction than usual in the comeback win of talented mare My Girl Hayley, who gave stable apprentice Alannah Fancourt her first win since returning from a near career-ending injury.
Fancourt fell from Yeezy at Toowoomba on New Year’s Eve last year and was initially told by doctors she may never ride again.
It was discovered she had fractured her neck, but in February she learnt she would recover and the past nine months have been dedicated to making that happen.
“I’m speechless. This means everything to me,” she said.
“I was smiling for probably the last 400m. I kept saying to myself ‘please girl, just do it.’
“I wanted to get a winner early on, just so I could get my confidence back and I think the big girl did it just for us.”
Gollan described Fancourt as a fantastic person and he was thrilled to be able to give her a winner on a horse she has had a successful association with.
“Some people didn’t think she would ever make it back. ‘Lani’ has put in a huge amount of work to get back and to ride at 52kg today so soon after returning was a really good effort,” Gollan said. “She gets on well with this mare. The two of them seem to work well together.
“This is only her second week back and the stable will continue to support her for the rest of the season.”
Gollan thinks My Girl Hayley is good enough to compete in some of the fillies and mares stakes races coming up over the summer if he can get her rating high enough to qualify for those races.
Interestingly, My Girl Hayley eased from her morning quote, as money rolled in for Toby Edmonds-trained Fiery Heights.
Edmonds was in the winning list a race later when Prompt Return made it four wins from his past six starts.
“Two years ago he won a good race down the straight at Flemington on this day. I think we have worked him out that 1000m to 1100m is his best distance,” stable foreman Trent Edmonds said.
However, it was Desleigh Forster, trainer of runner-up Too Good To Refuse, who sported the biggest smile after the race.
“He came home like a bullet. Wait until you see him next time,’’ Forster said. “He will give them something to think about in the summer features races.”
Emerald City process gem for Vandyke
THE man David Vandyke credits for getting him back into the training game made it seven wins on the trot with the two horses he races when Emerald City lobbed in the first at Doomben on Saturday.
Sam Mayer also races speedy mare Invincible Express, who has won four in a row and, under a skilful Josh Oliver ride, Emerald City made it three in succession.
Mayer previously raced talented stayer Lamasery, which he used as the carrot to get Vandyke back into the training ranks.
“I had been at him a long time to get back into it and eventually he relented and trained Lamasery for me,” Mayer said. “I don’t think there’s a better trainer around and no one pays more attention to their horses than David does.”
Vandyke joked he was worried Sydney-based Mayer’s presence on course might jinx the winning sequence, but punters again proved spot-on in the staying event as Emerald City was far too good.
“He pushed me back into training and he was very supportive of my move back to Queensland,” Vandyke said. “He’s having a great run at the moment. Emerald City is a horse we at one stage thought enough of to nominate for the Metropolitan in Sydney.
“He took a long while to come up this time in but he’s doing a great job now and today was the most passionate I’ve seen him over the concluding stages. He really pinned his ears back.”