Jacob Opperman’s stocks continue to rise after landing the biggest win of his short career aboard Royal Mile in Saturday’s Port Adelaide Guineas.
Two weeks after his first riding metro treble, Opperman produced a superb ride in the feature aboard the Lee Creek-trained youngster, who drove underneath horses in the home straight before safely holding Let’s Karaka Deel in the run to the line.
“It feels really good,” Opperman said post-race.
“Especially to do it on this horse – I’ve ridden him his whole career.”
Royal Mile has been steady improver since he was beaten in his first two starts at Penola and Naracoorte.
He was his maiden at Naracoorte in February before making it four wins from his past five starts and three on the trot in the three-year-old feature.
Opperman said he was a little concerned when he found himself back along the fence from his inside draw but Royal Mile’s ability to quicken and want to find the line cannot be questioned.
“I was in a tight spot coming to corner, but once we got clear he really nailed down,” Opperman said.
Just a fortnight after landing his first city treble, Royal Mile was the second leg of winning double for Opperman, who scored aboard River Twain for Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr earlier in the day.
It’s been a whirlwind 12 months for Opperman who won his first ever race ride at Mount Gambier last April, only to have the race determined a false start.
He’s ridden 45-and-a-half winners in season 2020-21 to sit sixth on the SA jockey premiership and he backed it up with a double at Hamilton on Sunday.
Morphettville trainer Ryan Balfour also had a good day on Saturday. Smart mare Dreamed regained winning form when she nosed out stablemate Canford in the staying race, before quality mare Li’l Kontra defied rivals at Caulfield with Brett Prebble in the saddle.
Connections are assessing her immediate future with a chance she will join star SA sprinting mare Bella Vella on the Gold Coast in May for the Magic Millions Broodmare Sale.
AND while the Adelaide Racing Carnival hits second gear, Jamie Kah’s continued rise to racing stardom continued interstate, this time in Sydney.
On the verge of being the first jockey to ride 100 winners in a Melbourne season, Kah become the first female to win a Group 1 for Godolphin and the first female winner of the Doncaster when she combined with Cascadian to win the $3m feature at Randwick.
“It’s just amazing to ride winners for these trainers, the likes of Godolphin, it’s unbelievable,” Kah said.
“I’ve only just starting riding for them. For them to trust me and put me on in big race is amazing.”
Kah joined Michelle Payne as a five-time Group 1 winning rider.
South Australia's Dalasan was brave running third with Jason Holder in the saddle. The Leon Macdonald-Andrew Gluyas-trained star continues to knock on the door at the top level and took his career earnings past the $2.5m mark.
