Caulfield races: Jamie Kah puts on a show with five winners from six rides

Jamies Kah’s runaway lead in the Victorian metro premiership grew even bigger after her near-perfect day at Caulfield.

Jamie Kah gives a high five after a day out at Caulfield. Picture: Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images

It’s hard to explain why Jamie Kah is so good.

Some say it is soft hands and balance that makes horses want to roll with her.

Others suggest the work she does early and late in races is the difference.

What we can all agree on is this. She just is that good.

With five winners at Caulfield from six rides on Saturday, Kah etched her name in Victorian racing history as the first woman to ride five winners at a city meeting.

An improvement on the previous Victorian mark — her own — a four-timer on Cox Plate day last year.

With short-priced favourite Ayrton’s success in the last, the 25 year-old joined Bev Buckingham, who rode five winners in Tasmania in 1986, as the only Australian woman to post a metropolitan five-timer.

“It never works out like that,” Kah said of the haul, which equalled her personal best for a city meeting.

“Whenever I have a good book on paper I normally never get a winner so when the first two rattled off I was looking forward to a good day.”

🥇 Generation
🥇 Excelman
🥇 Pintoff
🥇 Streetcar Stranger
🥇 Ayrton@jamieleekah07 equals her career-best day in the saddle with five winners. pic.twitter.com/z5G6QM6RmW

— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) May 8, 2021

Kah, who rode five winners at Morphettville in 2017, elected to ride at Caulfield instead of the Group 1 South Australian Derby meeting in Adelaide on Saturday, largely due to Ayrton.

The chance to bank wins, in her bid to break the single-season Melbourne record, was an added bonus.

Champion jockey Brett Prebble has held the record for 20 years — 99½ city winners in the 1999-2000 season.

Kah moved to 86 winners on Saturday — 31 ahead of nearest rival Damian Lane (55).

“Ayrton was the one I was really looking forward to today,” Kah said.

“He’s so raw still, he doesn’t know what he’s doing and he really put it together today.

“That’s what I came and wanted to feel and he didn’t disappoint.

“Obviously, I want to try and get that 100 and getting a few notches closer today is exciting.”

Kah was perfect through her first four rides, saluting aboard Generation (Race 1), Excelman (Race 2), Pintoff (Race 4) and Streetcar Stranger (Race 6).

Favourite Horrifying disappointed in Race 7, then Hengroen was a late scratching in Race 8.

Trainer David Eustace, who used Kah on Generation, credited her demeanour for her brilliance.

“She’s very unflappable, I don’t think the occasion seems to get the better of her,” Eustace said.

“I think that maybe is because she doesn't think she’s actually doing anything particularly special.

“I don't think you ever get the impression she thinks what she’s doing is that hard, if you have that attitude then I don’t think pressure is going to get to you that much, she seems very unflappable.”

Pintoff was one of five winners for Jamie Kah. Picture: Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images

Kah dominated South Australian racing, winning multiple premierships, prior to moving to Victoria.

Eustace said her hands and ability to relax the horses she rides was another difference-maker.

“Your ideal scenario on any horse is that you can be forward and ask a horse to go forward but not without spending too much energy,” Eustace said.

“A lot of the time if you ask a horse to go forward it‘s going to expend a little bit more energy than you want it to because it’s got daylight (in front of it) and it’s fresh from the barriers.

“Whereas she, time and time again, is able to roll forward on a horse but it relaxes doing it and that‘s feel, that’s hands, that’s natural ability, I don’t think you can really teach that.

“People might get better at it but she‘s just gifted in that regard.”

Kah five-time prompted a chorus of support from fans and punters alike, including a poignant take from legendary race-caller Bryan Martin.

“Been watching the best for well over 50 years and J Kah is sitting very nicely at present, has the premiership well won and brings a wonderful dimension to the ranks. All power to a fine rider #JamieKah”

Originally published as Caulfield races: Jamie Kah puts on a show with five winners from six rides