The spring jockey merry-go-round has started with Jamie Kah booked to ride Behemoth in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes.
The Memsie Stakes signifies the start of the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival and Kah has snapped up the mount on Behemoth with Craig Williams to ride Tofane.
Williams won the Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield last year on Behemoth after the gelding had won the Group 3 Spring Stakes (1200m) at Morphettville first-up.
Behemoth returned to win the Spring Stakes on protest on Saturday from Beau Rossa, who could also be an opponent in the Memsie Stakes on August 28.
Trainer David Jolly said the search for a new jockey came about after Williams said he would ride Tofane after he two Group 1’s on the mare in Brisbane during the winter.
“Craig had made a commitment to Tofane after Queensland, and that’s understandable, and we’ve been able to have a chat with Jamie and get her,” Jolly said.
“I’ve had success with Jamie over a long period and we certainly haven’t lost anything there.”
Jolly said while he would have liked to have seen Behemoth first past the post on Saturday instead of having to win the Spring Stakes in the stewards’ room, he said it was pleasing to see the horse return in good style.
“It was a bit messy, but the horse has come back and run well, that’s the main thing,” Jolly said.
“He’ll take benefit from the run and then he’ll get over there and we’ll see how he goes.
“But I was pretty happy with how the horse has come through the race and how he ran.”
Early markets on the Memsie Stakes, which is pre-nominations, has Behemoth the $4 favourite ahead of Tofane at $4.50 with Ladbrokes.
Article from JustHorseRacing.com.au