Jaylah Kennedy earns praise from trainer Sam Freedman after Rising Stars win at Flemington
In-demand apprentice Jaylah Kennedy added another Flemington win to her CV after winning the Rising Stars Final, which drew praise from trainer Sam Freedman.
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Apprentice jockey Jaylah Kennedy snared the Rising Stars Series Final (1600m) at Flemington with a perfect ride on Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained mare Arqana.
Kennedy chimed in late to overhaul Pitchanun, ridden by Alysha Warren, and Our Empress Zoe, with Celine Gaudray aboard, over the concluding stages.
Rising Star Series winner Luke Cartwright, who went into the final with 81 points and an unassailable lead, could not add to the tally with Fearless Writer sixth across the line.
Warren finished second in the final and the series with 64 points from Thomas Prebble (50), Dakotah Keane (46) and Sheridan Clarke (43).
Kennedy, widely regarded as an apprentice on the up, already with 17 city winners under her belt, appreciated the result and her second Flemington success.
Arqana fights hard to take the lead late! â
— 7HorseRacing 🎠(@7horseracing) July 20, 2024
Jaylah Kennedy riding for @FreedmanRacingpic.twitter.com/1ijhfS1aNG
“I only knocked off one (Rising Stars) race during the season but to be able to get it here, especially at Flemington, is great,” Kennedy said.
“Massive thanks to the Freedman team for putting me on this ripper mare.”
Kennedy tracked her main danger, Cindy Falls, in the run aboard favourite Arqana, who returned $2.50 with TAB, and cruised into contention the last 250m.
Cindy Falls, given every possible chance in the run by apprentice Hannah Edgley, could not quicken as sharply late as her Flemington win the start prior.
“I didn’t want to change anything, her pattern is to go back and be electric late,” Kennedy said.
“When we jumped and landed and I looked up I was pretty happy to see the horse (Cindy Falls) I was on the back of.
“It was a matter of keeping my cool down the straight and not going for her until I had to, and she was just too good.”
Sam Freedman praised in-demand Kennedy’s steer.
“We can’t secure her (Kennedy) a lot, she’s hard to get at the minute but we locked her in maybe five or six weeks ago for this race, she rode it to perfection, quiet ride,” Freedman said.
“The pace was obviously pretty strong, she left it late which was the plan, let them go and try and pick up the pieces in the end.”
Arqana could be aimed at the Listed Balaklava Cup on September 11 in search of stakes success.
Originally published as Jaylah Kennedy earns praise from trainer Sam Freedman after Rising Stars win at Flemington
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