The John O’Shea-trained Cotehele (NZ) (Tavistock) gave last season’s champion apprentice Tom Sherry the perfect start to his senior riding career with a Randwick victory on Saturday.
It was the young jockey’s first Saturday meeting since coming out of his time as an apprentice during the week and he was thrilled to get the monkey off his back so soon.
“The start of the day was a bit rocky but it is always good to get a winner without an ‘a’ beside your name,” Sherry said.
“I suppose just for myself, confidence-wise, now that is out of the way, it’s game on.”
Sherry partnered Cotehele into a minor placing at Scone last start and said the horse’s effort there fuelled his belief he could be competitive in Saturday’s Uphire Handicap (1300m).
Cotehele ($10) delivered, scoring by a length over Titanium Power (So You Think) ($8) with French Marine (Epaulette) ($4.40 fav) third.
“I had a lot of faith in him today,” Sherry said.
“He ran really well at Scone last start and Mr O’Shea and the camp have him down-pat. You’ve just got to get him into a rhythm, he can’t be stop-starting, he has got to be really flowing.
“I didn’t want to get there too soon because he is a bit green, so I put the stick away and rode him out but I was always confident he was going to win once he got there and he stuck to the task.”
Cotehele, a half-brother to Group One winner Ugo Foscolo (NZ) (Zacinto), was purchased by his trainer out of Valachi Downs’ 2020 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale draft for $100,000.
Earlier in the day the Robert Quinn-trained Marakopa (NZ) (Sacred Falls) ($61) posted an upset win in his 2400m contest.
The five-year-old son of Sacred Falls was stepping up in class and distance and relished the Heavy9 conditions of the Sydney track.
Ridden by Louise Day, Marakopa settled midfield and bided his time before he was asked for an effort coming into the straight. He entered the straight fighting for the lead with Bonny Ezra (NZ) (Road To Rock) and won the tussle going on to win by just over five lengths.-RAS Newswire
