In Jimmy we trust. Trainer Kelly Schweida used that mantra and like so many who have gone before him his faith was paid back in sweet victory.
Schweida engaged Jim Byrne to ride his mare Sienna’s Choice in the Congrats Kyle Wilson-Taylor Premiership Apprentice Handicap (1350m) on Wednesday at Ipswich racetrack.
Byrne wasn’t called the King of Ipswich for nothing. He was champion apprentice at Ipswich before winning the jockeys’ premiership nine times.
He’s also won three Ipswich Cups, three Eye Liner Stakes and two Gai Waterhouse Classics.
He’s also number one at Ipswich when it comes to rides (3,555), wins (589) and prizemoney ($8,167,963) at the Bundamba circuit.
Kelly Schweida, who’s fourth on the list of most wins by a trainer at Ipswich behind Tony Gollan, Alan Bailey and Robert Heathcote, clearly knew what he was doing.
Sienna's Choice ($2.70) did the rest, winning by a length from favourite Dry Times ($2.10) with a further length to Stratobel ($21) in third place.
“I thought she’d be hard to beat. Jimmy only came out for one ride,” Schweida said.
“Her run was super the other day; we thought she should have run third but just couldn’t get on the back of anything going forward.
“But 1350m is right up her alley, she has won here, we were hoping the favourite couldn’t run the 1350m; I think it might have been a bit suspect.
“Nobody rides this track better than J Byrne.”
Even when Sienna’s Choice was buffeted from both sides coming onto the course proper, that didn’t shake Schweida’s faith in Byrne.
“Leave it up to Jimmy,” he said.
“We knew we were going to get back. That’s been the trouble right along, she’s a back-marker and she gets into trouble but that’s why we had Jimmy; he rides here so well.”
Meanwhile, Beaudesert gelding Katanarock and his jockey Brooke Ainsworth scored a huge boilover in the last race on Wednesday’s program.
Starting at $61, Katanarock won the Ipswich Events and Entertainment Handicap (1100m) by a short neck from Kiki Coco ($11) with half a length to Mint Strip ($21) in third.
• The next meeting at Ipswich racetrack is the Members and Mates race day on Wednesday September 15.
