Kayla feeling ‘Smarty’ after Cup win

APPRENTICE jockey Kayla Cross won the $55,000 Asian United Food Service Chief Minister’s Cup (1600m) at Fannie Bay yesterday when the Dick Leech-trained six-year-old gelding Smarty Mac triumphed.

Horse Racing at Fannie Bay, Chief Ministers Cup. Main race at 4.29pm. Winner Smarty Mac, jockey Kayla Cross.

APPRENTICE jockey Kayla Cross won the $55,000 Asian United Food Service Chief Minister’s Cup (1600m) at Fannie Bay yesterday when the Dick Leech-trained six-year-old gelding Smarty Mac triumphed.

It was the feature race on Day 2 of the 2014 Darwin Turf Club’s Cup Carnival.

For Cross, it was the biggest victory of her career and she was understandably happy after weighing-in as she finished a short neck ahead of the Neil Dyer-trained Cantonese (Jarrod Todd).

Third was Differing Fortunes from the Greg Connor stable in Alice Springs with his wife Kacie on board.

Favourite Warrego Melody (Brendon Davis) was seventh and 2014 Alice Springs Cup winner Pretty Blonde (Justin Potter) finished 10th.

“It was the biggest Cup win I have had so it is really good,” Cross said. “He was always travelling like a winner. Once I got out and found the room he really got home well.”

The former country NSW hoop had a big Alice Cup Carnival two months ago where she rode plenty of winners.

It was the second straight year that a female jockey has won the Chief Minister’s Cup after Felicia Bergstrand piloted the Chris Pollard-trained Igles Star to victory 12 months ago,

Victorian visitor Dubyago (Jarrod Todd) made it a winning debut and a double for Leech earlier in the day after saluting in the Impact Hair Studio Handicap (1000m).

A winner at Geelong in May, the three-year-old filly was too strong for her seven rivals defeating Blue Shore (Kacie Connor) by one and a quarter lengths with King Dejour (Vanessa Arnott) a further two lengths adrift, third.

Todd believes the slightly-built Dubyago will benefit from the run and will be looking for more distance.

“When I jumped I thought I was going to lead by two lengths but all of a sudden after 100m I was four off the speed and under the pump,” Todd said. “Even though I was chasing the whole way I was able to save her for the finish.”