3 minute read
Two weeks ago, at Ascot, it was a red-letter day for the Parnham family, trainer Neville and jockey-son Steven securing the G1 Railway Stakes (1600m) and G2 WA Guineas (1600m) double.
Fast forward to yesterday (Saturday) and it was another WA racing family dynasty, the Casey's, that embraced their greatest racing triumph in the G1 Northerly Stakes (1800m).
Their wonderfully consistent horse Dom To Shoot, sent out a $21 chance ,flew the local flag proudly in a thrilling contest over glamour Sydney nine-year-old Zaaki.
With the services of champion jockey James McDonald, Zaaki almost had the race within his grasp and was staring down a fifth G1 victory before the arrival of Dom To Shoot.
Ridden by comeback jockey, Jarrad Noske, the Sean and Jake Casey-trained Dom To Shoot got up to win by the barest of margins, reeling in Zaaki who shot clear at the top of the straight.
For the Casey father and son training combination and Noske, Dom To Shoot, a son of Shooting To Win, provided the trio with their greatest racing career highlight.
Almost 30 minutes after the trophy presentations, an emotional Sean Casey said he was still coming to terms that he was a G1 winning trainer.
"I can't even let it sink in at the moment," Casey told The Races WA.
"Just so much respect for my horse, so much respect for my team.
"Everyone who is part of the team is like family, especially the horses.
"To win a Group 1 is out of control, it's crazy."
A fortuitous pick up ride for Noske, Casey said the experienced jockey rode the ideal race on Dom To Shoot and followed instructions perfectly.
From barrier one, Noske had Dom To Shoot in seventh position and eased away from the fence nearing the 400m.
Noske is perhaps better known as the jockey who rode Black Caviar to her first two wins in Melbourne and partnered Dom To Shoot for the first time.
After an enforced break with weight issues, Noske turned his hand to breaking in and training horses before being drawn back to full time riding in February.
He can now share bragging rights with his former jockey-father, Jeff, as Group 1 champions.
"Jarrad is an aggressive rider but I made an emphasis before the race that he can't be over dominant," Casey said.
"If you tell him (Dom To Shoot) what to do he can resent it, but when he needs a coax along you put him in.
"He listened really well and used his horsemanship to work out in running that we are both in this together."
Casey admitted the final stages of the Northerly Stakes with Dom To Shoot closing in on Zaaki, was nerve wracking.
"That last 100m when you level up to a horse like Zaaki, you think, 'oh god,' it felt like we had shot a bear," Casey said.
"But he (Dom To Shoot) has such great lung capacity, a super athlete."
Casey saved special praise for Jake Casey and his partner Bonnie Polise and their work and input behind the scenes with Dom To Shoot.
It was a dream day for the former jockey, who had extra reason to celebrate his 26th birthday in style.
"I've got so much respect for all my team," Casey said.
"Track riders, farriers, vets, everyone.
"I take my hat off to Jake and Bonnie.
"We've all got our ideas on how to do things.
"We put into a stew, mixed it all up and this is what we got.
"There are many people who mean so much to me around this win."
Dom To Shoot is named after Eagles midfielder Dom Sheed's freak winning goal in the 2018 AFL grand final.
The versatile six-year-old has eight wins from 40 starts and is nudging $2 million in prizemoney.
Casey has not ruled out Dom To Shoot backing up in Saturday's $1.5 million The Gold Rush (1400m).
Stable mate Laverrod is also going that way.
