Jett Stanley delivers in Hareeba Stakes on The Instructor after Gai Waterhouse sticks solid

Jett Stanley scored a memorable win in the Hareeba Stakes in his last day as an apprentice after convincing Gai Waterhouse to keep the ride on The Instructor.

Jett Stanley guides The Instructor to an all-the-way win in the Hareeba Stakes at Mornington. Picture: Scott Barbour/Racing Photos via Getty Images

Jett Stanley’s pleading paid off in Saturday’s Listed Hareeba Stakes at Mornington.

Stanley had steered The Instructor to his first-up win in tricky conditions at The Valley last month but had to work hard to keep the ride on the sprinter.

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Stanley was able to use his claim at The Valley but apprentices rarely receive a weight allowance in stakes races.

Hence the fast talking to champion trainer Gai Waterhouse, who trains The Instructor in partnership with Adrian Bott.

“I know it’s not the biggest race of the day, or the year, but for me, it means a lot,” Stanley said after The Instructor held off the well-backed War Machine.

“I was afraid I was going to lose the ride in a stakes race because Gai doesn’t put apprentices on in stakes races when they can’t claim.

“I had to convince her.

“(I said), ‘it’s my last day as an apprentice and I’ll be a senior the next day and I’ve done all the work’.

“She stuck solid and she has stuck solid throughout.”

Well Done! 👏

Jett Stanley has just won the Hareeba Stakes with The Instructor on the last day of his apprenticeship! @GaiWaterhouse1@stanley_jettpic.twitter.com/K5kMSiau7m

— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) April 19, 2025

The short Mornington straight must have seemed a mile long to Stanley when The Instructor shot clear rounding the home turn.

War Machine changed home to get into Stanley’s vision on the line, creating doubt as to whether The Instructor had held on.

“I looked over to (War Machine’s rider) Declan (Bates) and I said, ‘did you win?’ and he said he thought so,” Stanley said.

“I was a little bit gutted at that point but the camera went on me and all the emotions came out.”

Stanley’s Hareeba Stakes success was the jockey’s second feature win after he won a Listed race in Sydney last year.

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WALLER FILLY ON THE MOVE TO GROUP 1 SHOT

Claiming the Mornington Guineas was part of champion trainer Chris Waller’s masterplan with talented filly Movin Out.

Following a disastrous outing in the Vinery Stud Stakes in Sydney, Waller sent Movin Out south with the idea of running the Yulong-owned filly in the Group 1 Australasian Oaks in Adelaide next Saturday.

Movin Out enjoyed the perfect tune-up for that assignment with a dominant Mornington Guineas win, running on from the rear under jockey Ben Melham.

Melham said Movin Out had the ability to win the Australasian Oaks if her racing manners stood up.

“She’s got nice ability but she’s very aggressive.

“Just out to the 2000(m), her undoing would be a slow tempo.

“If she gets it right, she’s more than good enough to win.”

"Front last to first."

Movin Out loops the field to win the Mornington Guineas! @[e-mail]/3vAnXICXcF

— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) April 19, 2025

BRIDAL WALTZES TO RECORD BREAKING WIN

Speedy filly Bridal Waltz set a new track record when leading throughout in the No Fuss Event Hire Handicap.

Bridal Waltz clocked 1:09.06 for the 1200m, eclipsing the old mark of 1:09.22 that was set by the Peter Moody-trained Bassett in the 2017 Hareeba Stakes.

Moody trains Bridal Waltz in partnership with Katherine Coleman.

He said jockey Luke Cartwright had simple instructions but carried them out perfectly.

“I said, ‘if you’re going all right, try to pinch it on the turn and hold your breath’, and he did exactly that,” Moody said.

“When you can race forward, it takes a lot of luck out of the equation. When you can use the claim of a young rider that is riding in the fashion of a senior, that’s a massive bonus.”

Bridal Waltz dances away to break the favourite streak at Mornington. @[e-mail]/l7VkoC9R8B

— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) April 19, 2025

Originally published as Jett Stanley delivers in Hareeba Stakes on The Instructor after Gai Waterhouse sticks solid