3 minute read
The new trainer-jockey combination of Wayne Wilkes and his daughter Shae is set to strike again at the Taree race meeting on Tuesday when they combine with three runners - including two that are prominent in the betting.
Shae Wilkes only had her first race ride at Tuncurry on March 2, when she had a dream debut by winning on her father's horse Cool Duke.
The pair combined again with Cool Duke to win at Taree on March 26 and Shae also rode Crowie's Shout to win the Narrabri Cup for trainer Marc Quinn on March 23.
That's three winners from just 14 rides for an impressive early-career strike-rate of 21.42 per cent for Shae, who can claim four kilograms as an apprentice.
Shae has four rides at Taree on what is the Manning Sports Awards race-day, with races named after sports stars who came from the district.
Those rides include three for her father – Chaserlette in the Kylie Hilder Country Boosted Maiden Handicap over 1000 metres, Smart Lily in the Grahame Moran Maiden Plate over 1250 metres and Sixspeed in the Kasey Brown Country Boosted Benchmark 58 Handicap over 1400 metres.
Her other ride is for trainer Trent Potts, who, like Wayne Wilkes, is based at Taree. Potts and Shae will combine with Rossy's Typa Girl in the Nick Gates Benchmark 58 Handicap over 1250 metres. Rossy's Typa Girl is an $11 chance with TAB Fixed Odds.
Sixspeed is favourite for its race at $3.50, Chaserlette is a $7 chance and Smart Lily is an outsider at $31.
Chaserlette is one of two runners in the same race for trainer Wilkes. He also has Sheila's Fanta Sea there, a first starter that will be ridden by Andrew Gibbons and is quoted at $8.
Asked to rate the chances of his horses, Wilkes replied: "Sixspeed loomed up to win last start and didn't quite finish it off, but he was a little on the fat side going into that race.
"He gets in well in this race, but he's drawn wide again like he was last start. He just needs a little luck from there.
"He's much better off for his last run and I expect him to be highly competitive, most definitely. He'll be in the finish there somewhere, that's for sure.
"Chaserlette, we've brought her back to 1000 metres because we weren't quite sure she ran the 1280 out last time. I expect that to suit her better.
"Sheila's Fanta Sea won a trial last November but didn't race that prep. She goes quite well. First start in a race and we'll see how she handles it.
"Smart Lily, if the track is heavy as it looks likely to be it's probably not going to suit her. She's still learning her craft and she'll run regardless of the track conditions. We'll be battling to get a dry track around this region for a while, I'd say."
Taree was rated a Heavy 8 on Monday.
Wilkes said his daughter showed a lot of promise as a jockey.
"Shae's going real good, going great," he said. "She aways wanted to be a jockey, but she was just taking her time and getting her weight down sensibly.
"She's 24 years old now and she can ride at 56 kilos and the fact she took her time with that should make it easier for her to stay at that weight.
"She's gained a few rides from other trainers already, so things are gradually picking up for her, that's for sure.
"Shae rode in over 50 barrier trials before she rode in her first race and she's going ahead in leaps and bounds, doing things the right way. A lot of people are starting to notice her."
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