She’s apples for the Sheikh

Stephen Maskiell has been one of Tasmania’s top jockeys for a couple of decades. He’s old enough, at aged 47, to have a son, Jason, as riding foe.

Maskiell has won seven Tasmanian jockey premierships and despite some successful forays across Bass Strait, has resisted the urge to try his hand on the mainland. He has left that chapter to Jason, who, despite some hiccoughs along the way, is a highly touted apprentice under the watchful guidance of trainer Robert Smerdon at Caulfield.

It’s a safe bet that riding a winner for Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has never been on Maskiell’s bucket list, but yesterday he produced a brilliant ride to win the Listed Hobart Guineas (2100m) in the Sheikh’s maroon and white colours aboard the Lee Freedman-trained Ludka (b f 3, Singspiel (IRE)-Laleta (IRE), by Danehill (USA)).

Maskiell showed all his skill and mastery of the Elwick track to bounce Ludka to the front and dictated the terms of the race. He said he took the initiative to lead on the filly – Ludka had come from off the pace to win at Mornington and Stony Creek at her previous two starts – because of his knowledge of riding visiting horses trained by Freedman.

“I thought this filly is going to be rock had fit so she just needs to be rated well and thankfully the plan paid off. It’s great to be able to again ride a big race winner for the Freedman stable and that this horse is owned by Sheikh Mohammed is a bonus,” Maskiell said.

The Sheikh’s Darley operation had its first starters in Tasmania on Sunday and came away with a double. Freedman also trained Chinchilla (ch f 2, Exceed And Excel-Chestnut Star, by Eternity Range (USA)) to win the Listed Elwick Stakes (1100m) earlier on the programme. Chinchilla, who broke her maiden at Seymour on January 6, was ridden by Craig Newitt.

The Stakes double was a nice fillip for Freedman after First Command’s game second, behind Mufhasa, in the Group 1 Telegraph Stakes (1200m) at Trentham (NZ) on Saturday. There also was a touch of irony in the Tassie success after Freedman announced recently that Darley will be cutting his yearly quota of horses in half from around 50 to 25.

Freedman has trained nine Stakes winners this season – a Group 2 win with Well Rounded and eight Listed wins, five of which have been for Darley.

Photo: Lee Freedman