Jockey Jason Webb completed an amazing comeback when the Jamie Edwards-trained Come Along Jeffrey gave him his first winner in more than 24 years at Dunkeld.
Jason rode 38 winners as an apprentice between 1997 and 2000 and was only 18 years-old when increasing weight cut short his career.
As he got older, he got heavier and last year tipped the scales at 86kg before his friend Ricky Debono inspired him to make a comeback.
Ricky, a former Emsley Lodge apprentice, shed 17kg to make his brief return race riding, but Jason’s journey has been even more remarkable, dropping around 30kg to resurrect his career at the picnics in February this year.
Jason regained his professional licence this season and Come Along Jeffrey was his first winner since Love My Pet scored at Hamilton in June 2000.
Trainer Jamie Edwards said it was a well-deserved win for Jason who had worked incredibly hard over the last year.
Jason’s first ride back as a professional jockey was on September 12 at Warrnambool, on Tori’s Dee for Emsley Lodge.
“I can’t thank Jamie enough. He gave me my first ride back and my first winner,” Jason said.
Jamie said Jason had been a great asset for the stable.
“He’s been riding work for us for several months now and it was great that ‘Jeffrey’ was able give him his first winner back,” Jamie said.
A last start Hamilton winner, Come Along Jeffrey ($3.90) was ridden to lead the six-horse Catanach’s Jewellers BM70 Hcp (1200m) and settled two lengths in front.
The seven-year-old son of Super One responded well to Jason’s vigorous riding up the short Dunkeld straight and in a desperate finish he held off First Mate ($3.10 fav.) to score in a photo finish, with Verbosity ($9) 2-1/4 lengths away third.
However rival jockey Steven Vella on First Mate was confident he had beaten Come Along Jeffrey on the line.
“I asked Vella who had won and he told me he had,” Jason said.
“I didn’t know I had won until I got back to the mounting yard and when I found out I couldn’t believe it.”
Come Along Jeffrey has won his last two starts wearing blinkers and improved his record to seven wins and 10 placings from 35 starts, boosting his career earnings to $165,790.