In Brief
- Metropolitan wins for former Tasmanian apprentices.
- 100th career win for Voorham.
- Apprentice depth remains strong in the state.
The strength of Tasracing’s Apprentice Training program was on full display over the weekend with last season’s top three apprentice jockey’s booting home winners in three different states.
Alex Patis, Chris Graham and Teagan Voorham fought out a thrilling battle for the 2018/2019 apprentice premiership with Patis eventually taking honours and only two wins separating the three at the end of the season.
All three left Tasmania at different stages following the end of that season to pursue metropolitan opportunities which has seen Patis make her way to Queensland, Graham to Western Australia and Voorham to South Australia.
It was Patis who started the ball rolling for the former adopted Tasmanians when she guided the well-supported Spirit One ($7.50 into $4.60) home in the opening race at the Gold Coast on Friday.
The win was the 20-year-old’s fourth for the calendar year at a very respectable strike rate of 18% from the 22 rides she’s had in the year to date.
Teagan Voorham celebrates her Longford Cup win in 2018 aboard Vandermeer with strapper Karlee Fulton.
Teagan Voorham had more reason to celebrate than normal with her win on Diamond Tycoon ($8.50) in the third at Morphettville on Saturday also being her 100th career victory. It took the 23-year-old’s South Australian win tally to 39, with her previous 61 wins coming in Tasmania.
Chris Graham then rounded out the great run for the former Tasmanian apprentices when he won aboard Cliffs of Comfort ($2.40) for his masters Dan & Ben Pearce in the first race at Ascot.
All three riders claim 3kg at metropolitan meetings which is an attractive proposition for trainer’s looking to take some weight off their higher rated horses.
Despite Tasmania losing their top three apprentices from last season, the current ranks remain strong, testament to the work Apprentice Jockey Program Manager Stephen Maskiell has done to attract riders to the state from all over the globe.
Most will be familiar with Scarlet So, Peter Lui and Ianish Luximon who have been regular fixtures in Tasmanian racing this season, but more recently Mauritiain-born Brandon Louis and former Queensland apprentice Thomas Doyle have made their way to the state, both showing their ability with recent winning rides.
In total Tasmania now has eight apprentices on the books with Jack Inkpen, Codi Jordan and Lauryn Bingley developing their skills through trials and track-work, though UK-native Inkpen has recently returned home due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Watch the winning ride of Brandon Louis aboard Reann’s Diamond in Launceston on Wednesday.