Daniel Stackhouse strikes in first ride back from European holiday with Hello Romeo at Sandown
Booting home a winner is always the best way for a jockey to announce their return to the riding ranks.
Group 1-winning rider Daniel Stackhouse made the best possible statement with a win on Hello Romeo at his first ride for five weeks in the 2YO Handicap (1000m).
Stackhouse decided to turn a friend's wedding in London into a dream holiday, taking in six countries, while releasing him from the tough daily grind jockeys face year-on-year.
'We went to London, Croatia, Greece, Italy, Portugal and Dubai,' Stackhouse said.
'We just had a wedding in London so I thought we'd make a holiday of it as I haven't had a holiday for a while.
'It has refreshed the mind and the body so I've come back in the middle of winter to start again.
'It was a good way to start at the first meeting back.
I just wanted to get back into the rhythm but it was good to ride a winner at my first ride back.'
Stackhouse wasted no time in getting to the pointy end of his first ride back, pushing the recently gelded Hello Romeo ($5) forward to race near the lead early in the $150,000 race.
Hello Romeo just holds on in the first at Sandown! 😮â€�ðŸ'¨ @lindsayparkrace @DanielStack33 pic.twitter.com/hH3OGPIkSs
â€' 7HorseRacing ðŸ�Ž (@7horseracing) June 14, 2025
Hello Romeo found plenty in the last 200m to withstand the challenge of the Phillip Stokes-trained first-starter Street Legal ($7) to post his second win in five starts by a head.
Co-trainer Will Hayes said Hello Romeo had been competitive as a colt, including when beaten three lengths in a rich race in New Zealand in January, but had a bright future ahead of him as a gelding.
'He's an absolute professional mentally and the international trip to New Zealand, he really coped well with it as a colt but between that prep and this prep, he's had the ultimate gear change,' Hayes, who trains Hello Romeo in partnership with his brothers Ben and JD, said.
'Today was just a good display and a terrific ride from Dan.
'He showed initiative from the wide gate and made his intentions very clear when he got outside the lead.
'He was really strong through the line so there's plenty of upside with him this preparation.'
Stackhouse said he would continue to take rides in the heavier weight range for the immediate future before working his weight down in the lead-up to the spring carnival.
'If you don't ride, it's hard to knuckle down so I'll keep riding and riding heavy so it (weight) will keep coming down,' Stackhouse said.
'I'll stay around 58 (kg) for the next couple of weeks.'
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