Caitlin Jones’ quest to outride her claim before the end of her apprenticeship was fulfilled on Saturday as she continued a big finish to 2020.
Jones recorded an early race-to-race double and celebrated with a pump of the fist as she crossed the line aboard the Grant Young-trained Exalted Traveller.
“It’s a pretty good feeling, I never thought I’d do it and here I am,” Jones said post-race.
“All the owners and trainers who have backed me… there are so many people to thank.”
The 29-year-old was successful aboard Kirinia for Richard and Chantelle Jolly before giving Grant Young’s Exalted Traveller a perfect ride to outride her claim.
It was a massive day for Jones and partner Jason Holder.
‘Stubby’ claimed riding honours with a treble, backing up his three winners from the Penola meeting on Friday.
Holder’s busy weekend saw him draw level with Todd Pannell on the South Australian riding premiership with 38 wins, while Jones sits in fifth position on the table with 25.5 wins.
And Holder has narrowed the gap on the metropolitan table, trailing Jess Eaton and Todd Pannell by just one.
Jones finished her big weekend in style, winning the last race at Murray Bridge on Sunday, again for Grant Young, this time with Exalted Lauretta, who held off a fast-finishing Icecrusher to score.
It’s another busy week for South Australian racing with four meetings in five days, kicking off at Balaklava on Wednesday and winding up at Bordertown on Sunday.
And interstate former local Hard Empire continued his impressive form in Queensland for Trent Edmonds by winning the Group 3 George Moore at Doomben.
The horse, who finished fourth behind Despatch in the 2019 Group 1 Goodwood, enjoyed a solid Adelaide autumn campaign where he was placed in both the Listed Manihi Stakes and City of Adelaide Stakes and looks set to be a major factor over the summer in Queensland.
Meanwhile in Melbourne, Ryan Balfour’s Diamonds was game in defeat at Moonee Valley on Friday night while Stuart Gower could have easily had a two-state double, after Mongolian Marshal finished an eye-catching fourth in Sunday’s Werribee Cup, the day after Port Vale scored a deserving win at Morphettville on Saturday.
Image: A delighted Caitlin Jones salutes after winning aboard Exalted Traveller at Morphettville on Saturday. It was the second leg of a race-to-race double for Jones and her 80th metropolitan win, meaning she has officially outridden her apprenticeship.