Trainers hope top jockey can tame unruly filly
The Mick Price/Michael Kent jnr training team is hoping a top female jockey can cure the problems of one of their talented but wayward young gallopers.
Three-year-old filly Parlophone has lots of ability, but she also has serious behavioural problems.
Top jockey Jamie Kah will be paired with Parlophone, who has proven unruly.Credit:Getty Images
Her form line is boom and bust: in five starts she has either won or run a close second three times, while in the other two she has run down the track and never figured.
She invariably jumps awkwardly and at times has bucked and jumped and looked as though she is not that interested in chasing the pack.
She has not lacked for expertise in the saddle: Damien Oliver was on board when she won at Sandown and he was also in the saddle when she bucked after leaving the barriers on Saturday before running unplaced.
Now Parlophone's exasperated trainers hope that using a top female jockey will tame her waywardness, as the only time she has been ridden by a woman she won a listed race in Adelaide and behaved well with apprentice Jess Eaton on board.
Jamie Kah partnered Parlophone in a jump-out at Caulfield on Tuesday and will ride her in her next race, the Atlantic Jewel Stakes at Moonee Valley in early September.
"It's the third time she's done that in five starts, when she comes out and jumps. She did it at her first start at Flemington on New Year's Day, cost herself the race horribly and she was beaten a long way," Kent jnr said.
"She did it at Sandown first-up this time, but was still too good so she could win. But in these better races you can't do that and lose ground.
"In the jump-out, she was perfect with Jamie Kah on board so we are going to try something different and put a female jockey on.
"She won in Adelaide with Jess Eaton riding and didn't put a foot wrong and was awfully impressive that day in a listed race so we will see if that makes the difference. Jamie is an excellent rider."
In the UK a few years ago, a steeplechaser called Actinpieces, a grey mare, refused to be ridden by male jockeys. She would perform her best with amateur rider Gina Andrews or her sister Bridget, a professional jockey, on board and won a number of races.
In a November 2016 interview, the sisters explained that when their brother Jack tried to mount Actinpieces she simply would try to buck him off, before showing more hostility.
"When he went to get on her she tried to bite him,” said Gina Andrews.
“It’s quite funny because she doesn’t normally do it when I get on. She’s only had women riders. If a man went up to her in the yard she’ll put her ears back. It’s a bit weird.”