Celine Gaudray ‘on fire’ with treble at Caulfield

Rising jockey Celine Gaudray drew praise from trainers after continuing her hot streak with a treble at Caulfield.

Celine Gaudray enjoyed a treble treat at Caulfield on Saturday. Picture: Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images

Rising star Celine Gaudray continued a hot streak in the city with a treble on Saturday at Caulfield.

The 22-year-old’s tally after the treble stood at 10 wins from 30 starts on metropolitan circuits including five inside 24 hours after a double at The Valley last Friday night.

Gaudray enjoyed the perfect start to Saturday with her first three rides all winners, including Regal Power, Piaggio and Is It Me.

Is It Me was Gaudray’s sixth winner in nine starts overall since returning from a short camping trip.

IS IT ME and it's THREE for Celine Gaudray at Caulfield!

Her first Saturday Metro hat-trick! pic.twitter.com/iRjOo0WrEb

— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) December 16, 2023

“I’m still a bit unfit,” Gaudray laughed.

“But it was good … it helps with confidence a lot (riding winners).

“If I can keep getting a few winners here and there it is a great help.”

Gaudray, who won the Rising Stars series last season and finished second in the apprentice premiership behind Carleen Hefel, rode a personal best midweek city four-timer last April.

Is It Me won comfortably at the finish but Gaudray had some doubt in the run.

“I didn’t expect to be that far back but he was actually off the bridle a long way out and I just kept niggling just to stay in contact,” Gaudray said.

“I actually didn’t think he was doing too much but as soon as we straightened up he was really good through the line.

“He’s extremely competitive and when he hit the front he stopped and waited for a few to catch up, he was strong.”

Celine Gaudray guides Is It Me to victory at Caulfield. Picture: Scott Barbour/Racing Photos via Getty Images

Trainer Daniel Bowman praised Gaudray’s ride on talented gelding Is It Me, a $2.60 favourite in the 1200m Benchmark 70.

“That was perfect, (she) kept him in plenty of galloping room, let him track up behind one of the other chances (runner-up Pink Beau Ty),” Bowman said.

Earlier, trainer John Leek Jr, who saddled Regal Power, led the Gaudray appreciation.

“Celine is on fire, she rode the horse perfect,” Leek Jr said.

“Sometimes it’s very hard to get the horse in the right position, she looked like she was going to get into a bit of trouble at one stage, I was a bit concerned, but anyway, her skill is very, very good.”

Female jockeys dominated the card on Saturday, winning six of the 10 winners.

Apprentice jockey Tatum Bull scored a race-to-race double on Ginger ‘N’ Pink and My Boy Birmingham while champion rider Jamie Kah opened the card aboard Traffic Warden.

REGAL REIGNS SUPREME

Regal Power moved closer to the $5 million prizemoney mark with a long-awaited and well-deserved 10th win from 40 starts.

The Bob Peters-owned multiple Group 1 and All-Star Mile winner was two years between wins but good placement and a classy ride from rising star Celine Gaudray sealed the deal.

“He’s very deserving of today’s win,” Gaudray said.

“I didn’t really want to be in the open with him when the outside horse went out in front of us it was good, a good horse to follow.

“He definitely wanted to get going a bit earlier but when the gap opened he let rip.”

G1 winner, Regal Power, finds the winner's circle for the first time in two years! 💪 pic.twitter.com/IFdG4eSYii

— Racing.com (@Racing) December 16, 2023

Regal Power, a $4.7 million earner, ran seventh in a Ballarat Cup slog last Saturday but showed no signs of weariness seven days later, camped off the speed and strongest, albeit wayward, late.

Trainer John Leek Jr said Peters would find another race for Regal Power.

“I’ll leave most of the things to Bob, we’ll discuss things and go from there,” Leek Jnr said.

“He suggested this race last week after the Ballarat run, I was a little bit hesitant because that was a slog the other week but he’s a beautiful horse.”

Favourite Alhambra Lad finished second with Herman Hesse not far away in third.

Fourth-placed Grand Pierro was denied a run near the 300m mark when buffeted by Regal Power.

RUNNING INTO FORM

After going 11 starts without an Australian winner, visiting Irish jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle notched a third in as many days and second at Caulfield.

Browne McMonagle, a Group 1-winner in Ireland, broke through on the aptly-named Dublin Journal last Thursday at Caulfield and followed up with Exceed The Dream at The Valley on Friday night.

The 20-year-old added Running By to the ledger on Saturday, his second winner for host trainers Ciaron Maher and David Eustace.

Running By needed a bit of coaxing approaching the home bend and a gap to open but once in the clear the stakes’ placed mare overpowered Frenchmans Bay.

“She was gutsy when I got stuck into her and picked up really good, I always felt when I was going to get into top gear she was going to run them down easily, delighted to get another one for the team.”

Originally published as Celine Gaudray ‘on fire’ with treble at Caulfield