Racing
Jet flies high to repel Waller squad
Tulloch Lodge gelding Jet has emerged victorious against a seven-strong string from a rival yard.
The weight of numbers weren't in their favour, but Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott defied the odds to take out the opening race at Warwick Farm with lightly raced three-year-old Jet.
In a field of eight, Jet was the only horse not prepared by Chris Waller and he showed grit and determination to fend off the champion trainer's army of rivals, defeating Snitzel Miss by a half-head.
By star stallion Zoustar, Jet was thwarted by heavy tracks at his initial campaign and took improvement from his first-up effort at Canterbury to lead throughout in Wednesday's Brave Smash @ Yarraman Park Plate (1300m).
"He was there to be beaten and I thought he might have been at the furlong," Bott said.
"He really dug deep and kept finding and that's always an encouraging sign.
"He is open to a lot of improvement off today and I think he'll continue to get a little bit further, 1400 metres and potentially 1600 metres.
"Lovely time of year for him over the summer to take advantage of the conditions and to go through his grades."
The jockeys competing in the opening race wore black armbands in honour of the victims of the Bondi Beach shooting.
Winning hoop Tim Clark said his thoughts and deepest sympathies were with those affected by the tragedy.
"I want to say on behalf of the jockeys', we're wearing the black armbands in support of the Bondi victims so condolences to all their families," Clark said.
The opening event was marred by a mid-race incident in which apprentice Siena Grima was dislodged from her mount, Ichiban Koji, who suffered a suspected heart attack.
Grima walked back to the jockeys' room unaided but was stood down from her remaining rides as a precaution.
The promising young jockey recently transferred her indentures to Waller's Rosehill stable, the pair combining for their first win as master and apprentice when Full Hao was successful at Rosehill on December 7.
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