She may have dead-hated for first, but to have success in her first race in Melbourne on Wednesday was justifiably a thrill for Darwin apprentice Jade Hampson.
The 19-year-old was representing the Northern Territory in Heat 6 of the National Apprentice Race Series and headed to Victoria after a winning treble at Alice Springs on Monday.
Two races were scheduled on the Sandown Hillside course where apprentices from each state – except for NSW – picked up rides following a random draw.
Darwin-based Hampson partnered four-year-old mare The Maggstar ($6) for Cranbourne trainer Tetyana Furdetska in the first NARS race, a 1300m maiden, before riding eight-year-old gelding Peppino ($81) for Sale trainer Damien Walkley over 1500m (BM64).
The Maggstar, a grey having just her second start after finishing second in a 1400m Pakenham maiden two weeks ago, jumped from the outside gate in the field of nine and settled at the back before winding up at the top of the straight with 500m remaining.
Along with $26 hope Mothereens, ridden by Victoria’s Celine Gaudray for Seymour trainer Lesia Masnyj, The Maggstar finished strongly with Extreme Ally ($3 fav), from the Flemington stable of Mathew Ellerton, out in front on the fence for WA’s Holly Watson.
Mothereens looked the winner with 100m to go, but The Maggstar – sitting inside the five-year-old mare – lifted in the shadows of the post to share the spoils with Extreme Ally three quarters of a length adrift in third place.
The dead-heat continued Hampson’s remarkable record of winning a race in her first appearance at a racecourse, after achieving the feat at Darwin and Alice Springs in the NT, Broome and Kununurra in WA, and Jamestown in SA.
“It was beautiful, it was great experience and I’m really thrilled,” Hampson said on Wednesday.
“Couldn’t have asked for it to go better, really.
“It was only it’s second start, so we weren’t quite sure how she’d go.
“She was still very green, but she was a nice little horse and got the job done.
“The horse will improve, so I was lucky to draw that.
“Taught me to be a bit patient up that 500m straight, but it was really good and I’ll learn a lot from that.”
NARS Maiden Plate | Sandown | April 19, 2023
Hampson wasn’t sure she could win the race, but The Maggstar continued to make ground once straightening for home.
“I had a bit of horse still under me coming around the home turn – just coming down the hill we just lost that bit of momentum there which Sandown is known for having that big hill,” she said.
“It’s a lovely track, but there’s a hill at the top of the straight coming home and it goes down and there’s a bit of a dip and then it flattens out at about the 400m.
“Once we picked them up and I gave her that first hit with the whip she really flew home.
“The other one on my outside kicked up past her, so then she fought back which was really good to see.
“I didn’t quite think we got the win, but the dead-heat, I’m happy with that and I’ll settle for that.
“I was super happy to see my number on the screen when I came back.”
Naturally, the response back in the NT was huge for Hampson, who has just celebrated 12 months in the saddle after spending three months riding in South Australia late last year.
“I’ve had plenty of messages and phone calls – just trying to catch up with it all,” she said.
“I’ll just enjoy the night and head back home to reality tomorrow morning.
“I’ve got eight rides at Alice Springs on Saturday.
“It was a great experience to ride at Eagle Farm (March 29) and Sandown, just thankful that I got the opportunity.”
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