Bossy Nic ridden by Jaylah Kennedy wins the Mercedes Benz Mornington Handicap at Mornington Racecourse on June 10, 2024 in Mornington, Australia. (Photo by Scott Barbour/Racing Photos)
One of the rising stars of the Victorian ranks reached another milestone at Mornington on Monday with Jaylah Kennedy notching her 80th winner and outriding her 3kg claim at country meetings.
The win came aboard the Tony & Calvin McEvoy trained filly Bossy Nic, winner of the Group 3 Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes (1200m) as a two-year-old, with 23-year-old Kennedy showing patience to ease $4 second elect Bossy Nic over heels and run down Valois ($8) by a long neck with Treasurway ($14) in third. Race favourite Sioux Spirit over raced and could only manage sixth.
Bossy Nic was coming back in distance and grade to a benchmark 64 over 1200m having run fourth over 1400m at Caulfield the start prior, something both trainer and jockey believed was key to the victory.
“It just shows that Jaylah is a very competent young rider… she didn’t panic and she just had to wait a little bit longer than she wanted to but she got out and the filly was good enough,” Tony McEvoy said.
“We can go back to a Saturday and I think 1200 (metres) is her trip… she’s a big strong powerful filly with great depth.”
Kennedy, who also won her first race at Flemington on Saturday aboard Lady In Pink, was thrilled to ride another winner for the McEvoy’s and outride her claim in the country.
“I was quietly confident coming back to the 1200 (metres) today, I just don’t think she ran the strong 14 last start but she’s a ripper,” Kennedy said.
“I’m just taking every opportunity as it comes and I’ve been really lucky to get a lot of good support and I’m really grateful for it and glad I can get the results.”
“They (McEvoy’s) have been great to me, they’re a really great bunch, we all have a laugh and it’s good to get the results and having fun doing it.”