Clare Lindop hails premiership-bound jockey Jamie Kah as record, 100 milestone looms

Trailblazer Clare Lindop credits Jamie Kah’s ability to “rise above” the hype around her breathtaking and soon-to-be record Melbourne season.

Jamie Kah heads to Sandown Hillside with 99 winners under her belt. Picture: Vince Caligiuri

Jamie Kah’s ability to shut-out the hype around her dominant and imminent record Victorian season has helped the star jockey “rise above” the pressure, trailblazer Clare Lindop says.

Kah will head to Sandown on Wednesday needing one win to create Victorian racing history.

A Flemington double on Saturday saw Kah move to 99 winners this season.

Brett Prebble holds the record (99 1/2), which the champion jockey set in the 1999-00 season.

“I really hope she cracks the 100 soon because I know the pressure of the media attention gets you a little bit,” Lindop said.

“Jamie seems to have risen above those challenges … the way she‘s been able to stay in the present moment has certainly helped her.”

Kah won three South Australian metropolitan premierships — equalling Lindop’s record — prior to moving to Victoria in 2019.

Lindop hailed Kah’s brilliant 20 per cent winning strike rate this season in Melbourne — from 492 starts.

The 25-year-old burst out of the blocks last August, banking six doubles through her first 10 city meetings, and incredibly has been able to maintain the rage ever since.

“It’s really tough in 52 weeks to have a strike rate (high enough) to ride 100 winners in the season,” Lindop said.

“It’s a feather in her cap, she should be really proud of what she’s done.”

Only two other jockeys — Craig Williams and Damien Oliver — have ridden more than 90 metro winners in a single Victorian season since 1998.

“One of the most important things to take away from riding 100 winners this season here in Victoria is it‘s actually the record,” Lindop said.

“It’s not a female record, it’s the record she’s setting … I’m so proud of her for achieving this.”

Jockey bookings for Sandown Hillside will be finalised by midday on Monday.

Originally published as Clare Lindop hails premiership-bound jockey Jamie Kah as record, 100 milestone looms