Wild Range Photography
A daring ride from apprentice jockey Tanya Jonker paid dividends for connections of Yamato Nadeshiko at Omakau on Thursday, with the six-year-old mare recording her sixth win in the White Robe Lodge/Fasttrack Clare Memorial Gold Cup (2000m).
The Jackie Burrows-trained runner settled at the rear of the field for Jonker before the young hoop made a mid-race move to take the lead with her charge at the 1100m mark.
The pair looked in control for the remainder of the race, winning by 3-1/2 lengths over Thought that, with Teddytwinkletoes a further long-neck away in third.
“She is an awesome little horse,” Burrows said. “Howie Matthews sent her down (from Otaki) because she wouldn’t jump out of the gates up there.
“I said (to Jonker) don’t be unlucky, make your own luck. At Gore we ended up wide and you just can’t get around at Gore, so it was good today.
“She is my little apprentice and I am proud of her.”