Jace McMurray's magic moment with first Saturday success in Sydney

The Australian

2 days ago

Boom young apprentice Jace McMurray enjoyed a moment to savour at Rosehill Gardens, booting home his first Sydney metropolitan Saturday winner aboard Edited By.
Queenslander McMurray, 18, has been up and running in Sydney for about a month now and is quickly turning heads among the training ranks, exhibiting balance and poise well beyond his years.
And those attributes were on full display when guiding Edited By to an all-the-way victory in the Ranvet Handicap Benchmark 78 (1500m) for his master Michael Freedman which doubled as his first career Rosehill Gardens triumph.
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'I was swinging on him at the 600m mark and was just thinking when I let you go please don't stop,' an elated McMurray said post race.
'He was really tough to the line and gave me his all. One to remember.'
Fighting off any number of challengers late, McMurray dropped the whip in the drive to the line but didn't panic, switching to hands and heels to get the job done in style.
'Little mistake there … Thankfully the post came up there in time and he kept responding for me,' McMurray added.
Edited By's victory came after McMurray finished second aboard the Freedman-trained Codetta a race earlier.
Stable representative Sophie Johnson was full of praise for McMurray's steady hand in returning Edited By to the winner's stall at a track he excels at.
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'He's very consistent and always gives his all, he loves being out in front and dictating and Jace allowed him to do just that today,' Johnson said.
'With Jace being part of the team now being able to use his 3kg claim is a big plus for us, especially on a difficult horse to place like him (Edited By) because he's crept up in the ratings very quickly.
'It makes trying to find the right race pretty hard but with Jace's claim we can put it to good use. It was the difference today there late.'
Edited By ($12) scored by a long head at the finish ahead of a fast finishing Pure Alpha ($5) while Little Cointreau ($4.40) was a further neck away in third.
Edited By's Saturday success followed a midweek double for McMurray after guiding the Freedman-trained Just Feelin' Lucky and Inside Man to victory at Canterbury on Wednesday.
The latter of the two wins notched up a career milestone for McMurray as his 100th win in the saddle.
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Godolphin to pick out winter options for Kerguelen
Team Godolphin will temper their expectations with Kerguelen despite the four-year-old's impressive return to racing at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.
The lightly raced son of Lonhro hadn't been seen at the races since last November but with two eye-catching trials under his belt, returned victorious under the urgings of Kerrin McEvoy.
The gritty win, getting the better of Brave One over the concluding stages, extended Kerguelen's career record to three wins and three second from the six appearances.
Godolphin stable representative Paul Reid said the stable would map out a winter schedule for the well-bred type.
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'He looked like he was the first horse under pressure at the corner but he kept coming and battled away really well,' Reid said.
'The other horse (Brave One) had the inside run on us so it was a really good effort.
'I think for where he's at he's well suited in the winter with the wet tracks and James will just place him accordingly for now.
'To win first up with a bit of weight was a good effort.'
Kerrin McEvoy, who claimed a Godolphin double after Zebra Finch landed the two-year-old event, said the gelding raced right up to his looks in the yard.
'Today was my first time on his back and he really took my eye in the parade,' McEvoy said.
'He's a nice horse and gave me a really good feel. He travelled like the winner during the race and to dig in first up at the 1200m like that was a good effort.'