3 minute read
There's something about Menangle that brings out the best in leading young driver Jess Prior.
The softly-spoken young lady ironed out a star-studded field of indigenous drivers to claim her second J.C. Caffyn Plate at the premier track tonight, scoring a last-stride win with five-year-old gelding Red Reactor from the David Thorn stables.
This year's field . . . the 10th running of the race, promised so much for several drivers who have made winning it their annual goal.
Experienced reinsmen like Jimmy Brown and David Caffyn have been outstanding ambassadors for this annual race which became "invitation-only" this year due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
And another young reinsman, Danny Gatt-Bouquet has made it a personal ambition of his own to win this special race, which boasted a prizemoney boost this year and was worth more than $20,000.
And Gatt-Bouquet looked like he was going to pull it off when he dashed clear at the top of the long Menangle straight with the well-backed local pacer Held To Ransom.
Just as he was about to be called the winner, Jess Prior and pole-marker Red Reactor emerged from back in the ruck and took off after the runaway leader.
Under Prior's desperate urgings, Red Reactor dived right on the finish line to score an incredible short-half head victory over Held To Ransom with first emergency Masons Delight (Bruce O'Brien) a distant third in a 1:53.1 mile rate.
It was an exciting affair with several moves throughout the 1609m race, which made it an exciting spectacle and had many regulars wishing there were more races driven with such enterprise from all involved.
Prior first stamped herself as a talented horsewoman when she won the 2015 running of this race and now joins Royce Gregory-Jack as the only multiple winners of an event that has become much sought-after by all involved.
Sadly for Brown and Caffyn, they will have to wait for another year to make their mark as Prior celebrated another personal milestone in what is becoming an impressive driving career.
"I'll be back . . . I'll win one of these one day," lamented Brown, who had to settle for eighth after driving an almost-perfect race on the Harry Martin-trained I Am Serengeti.
"We just weren't able to go with them when Danny sprinted."