Victorian apprentice Hannah Le Blanc is leaving her mark in the NT, so much in fact that the 29-year-old has a full book at Darwin on Friday and will feature in five of the six Alice Springs races on Saturday.
It is no surprise after the Glenrowan-based Le Blanc bagged a winning treble in the Red Centre last weekend.
Le Blanc will partner Dick Leech’s Hasseltoff, Lethal Encounter and Boom Smash Opera, Kevin Lamprecht’s Daniher and Lisa Whittle’s Another Val on Saturday.
The fact that Le Blanc claims 2kg will benefit Hasseltoff, an eight-year-old gelding from South Australia, who debuts at Pioneer Park in open company over 1600m.
Originally assigned 63kg, the son of Toorak Toff will now lump 61kg and arrives in town after winning three of his past four starts for Adelaide trainer Phillip Stokes.
Success over 1533m at Morphettville and 1500m at Gawler against respectable opposition was followed by a last start win in BM78 grade over 1600m at Morphettville on January 25.
It’s not confirmed, but Le Blanc believes Leech will start Hasseltoff in the $110,000 Alice Springs Cup (2000m) on April 6.
Back celebrating recent success after serving a six-month suspension last year, Leech won the 2023 Alice Springs Cup with Write Your Name.
“Dick never talked to me about Hasseltoff being a Cup horse, but he keeps things pretty quiet,” Le Blanc said.
“A last start winner at Morphettville, he won convincingly.
“He’s not a leader, so if he can handle the dirt and kick-back he should be hard to beat.”
It’s 240km from Glenrowan to Melbourne, but Le Blanc still enjoys travelling to the NT. She has 11 wins this season in the Alice Springs and Provincial jockeys’ premiership – Sonja Logan holds sway with 15 wins.
“It’s going really good, I’m getting good opportunities up there, hopefully it will keep going,” she said.
“I don’t see it any different to any other jockey that has to drive as far as I travel.
“I only have to do it pretty much on weekends, I don’t find it too taxing.
“It was good to get that treble, but to be fair Sonja would have probably ridden O’Tycoon, Cavendish and Bad Man had she not been suspended.”
Le Blanc, who picks up the occasional ride in Victoria and has celebrated six Darwin wins this season, left for Darwin on Thursday night.
She heads to Adelaide straight after the Alice Springs meeting before flying to Melbourne on Sunday for a ride at Ballarat.
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