Jamie Kah ready to dazzle this spring carnival with her ‘darling’ Hayasugi

Jamie Kah is fired up for the spring carnival and is excited to reunite with the horse who helped reignite her career last autumn.

Jamie Kah dresses up for the spring carnival (right) with Hayasugi, who she rode to win the Blue Diamond Stakes (left). Pictures: Pat Scala/Racing Photos and Jason Edwards

Jamie Kah’s love for horses is well known but one filly might have surged her way to the top of the star jockey’s affections in the last six months.

Kah has ridden horses of various breeds since her early years in sporting horse competitions, pony club, equestrian events and the high stakes of the racetrack.

But a photo shoot with Blue Diamond Stakes winner Hayasugi delighted the 28-year-old.

Kah only had her first ride on Hayasugi in January, quickly striking up what is now a firm partnership with the Clinton McDonald-trained three-year-old.

Hayasugi already earned more than $1.6m in only six starts on the track but Kah said the sprinter’s professionalism extended to a stint in front of the camera.

“It was so much fun, especially with Hayasugi because she is such a darling,” Kah said.

“As soon as the camera came out, she just didn’t move and stared at the camera the whole time.”

Kah and Hayasugi united for the Blue Diamond series in January and February, going unbeaten through three races, including the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes at Caulfield.

Hayasugi defeated the subsequent Golden Slipper winner Lady Of Camelot in the Blue Diamond Stakes but luck deserted the pair in the $5m Golden Slipper in Sydney in March.

However, Kah was thrilled with her mate’s effort in a trial at Cranbourne last Monday as the pair geared up to take on the older horses in the Group 1 Moir Stakes at The Valley, which will be run in three weeks on September 7 this year.

Jamie Kah combined with Hayasugi during an unbeaten autumn campaign. Picture: Reg Ryan/Racing Photos via Getty Images

“She’s so beautiful and there’s not many like her because she’s so push-button,” Kah said.

“I trialled her at Cranbourne on Monday and it was the best she has ever felt.

“She never really does much in her trials and on Monday, she just went to another level, I thought.”

Hayasugi came along at the perfect time for Kah after the history-making jockey, who became the first woman to win the Melbourne jockeys’ premiership in 2020/21, was below her best last spring.

Kah spent several months recovering from a serious head injury she sustained in a shocking fall at Flemington in March last year, which required spending weeks in a rehabilitation facility.

However, Kah returned to her best in early 2024.

Hayasugi was part of a brilliant run for Kah, who won the Blue Diamond Stakes, Australian Guineas on Southport Tycoon and the Newmarket Handicap on Cylinder, on consecutive Saturdays.

While the 2024 Melbourne spring carnival starts with Saturday’s Memsie Stakes meeting at Caulfield, Kah said she has been gearing up for spring for weeks.

“The last spring, I was coming off an injury and the spring starts in the autumn really,” she said.

Jamie Kah on The Map, who could be her ride in the Melbourne Cup this year. Picture: Morgan Hancock/Racing Photos via Getty Images

“You’ve got to build your connections and I came back early from a holiday and was riding trackwork through July and making good connections towards the spring.

“It’s not just the connections, you’ve got to build your fitness as well.

“You’ve got to show your face around trackwork, especially when you’ve come back from a holiday with a few kilos to lose so that’s important.

“This year, hopefully this is the best spring yet.”

It is too far out for in-demand jockeys like Kah to lock in their respective Melbourne Cup rides but she has her on eye on a stayer from her home state of South Australia.

The Map, trained by Kah’s longtime friends Dan Clarken and Oopy MacGillivray, qualified for the Melbourne Cup with her win in the $500,000 Andrew Ramsden at Flemington in May.

Kah told the Herald Sun back in June that she was a strong chance to be aboard the six-year-old on the first Tuesday in November.

“Nothing is locked in but I’m so excited The Map has got in,” Kah said.

“I think she’s a massive chance and I’m so excited she got in because Dan and Oopy are amazing people.

“It’s probably going to be my ride if I want it and I definitely want to ride her.”

But even winning a Melbourne Cup might not be enough for The Map to usurp Hayasugi at the top of Kah’s affections, possibly as the rider’s dream partner in the equestrian arena.

“In the next career one day, it could be me and Hayasugi,” Kah joked.

Originally published as Jamie Kah ready to dazzle this spring carnival with her ‘darling’ Hayasugi