Top jockeys confirmed for Tassie racing carnival

Multiple Melbourne Cup winner Mark Zahra and leading female hoop Jamie Kah are among a big-name jockey quartet set to race in Tasmania’s two biggest race days. Read who will be saddling up here.

Jamie Kah will race on Hobart Cup Day in Feburary. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Tasmania’s top race days will be bolstered by superstar jockeys riding at both ends of the state, headlined by leading female hoop Jamie Kah.

Kah and Ben Melham will saddle up on Hobart Cup day on February 9, while Mark Zahra and Damian Lane will be available for the Launceston Cup meeting on February 26.

The quartet were secured for the two biggest days of the Ladbrokes Summer Racing Festival after an invitation from Tasracing in partnership with the betting giant.

“We are obviously delighted that these top-line jockeys have made themselves available for the two key thoroughbred race days during the festival,” Tasracing CEO Andrew Jenkins said.

“It is an outstanding show of support in Tasmanian racing that we are confident will provide significant promotional opportunities for the festival, both locally and interstate.

“Mark Zahra won back-to-back Melbourne Cups on Without A Fight in 2023 and on Gold Trip in 2022, and the Caulfield Cup in 2023, also on Without A Fight, and on Verry Elleegant in 2020.

“And Jamie Kah has been the world’s top-ranked female jockey for at least the past four years. She also was the first jockey to ride more than 100 winners in a single Melbourne metro season.”

Mark Zahra will ride on Launceston Cup Day. (Photo by Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images)

Jenkins said Lane had enjoyed great success in Japan and Australia.

“He has ridden winners in many of the major races in both countries, including here in the Caufield Cup (Mer De Glace), the Caufield Guineas (Private Life) and the Cox Plate on board Lys Gracieux,” he said.

“He also rode Lys Gracieux to wins in the Arima Kinen and the Japanese Derby.

“Ben Melham claimed his first Group 1 win aboard champion mare Black Caviar in the Patinack Farm Classic. Ben also took out one of the biggest races in the country when winning the Group 1 Golden Slipper on She Will Reign.”

Total prizemoney for the Hobart and Launceston Cup has been increased to $150,000 this year, which should ensure the race days are more attractive for top line jockeys and trainers.