Stawell apprentice Chelsea Thompson scored a home-town win on Tori’s Dee as her partnership with Emsley Lodge stretched to a remarkable four consecutive wins.
Chelsea had not ridden a winner until two weeks ago when she teamed up with eight-year-old Come Along Jeffrey who has since given her two Kilmore wins while Tori’s Dee has also now won twice for her.
Chelsea’s four-kilo allowance has been invaluable and provided much needed weight relief for both veteran gallopers.
Seven-year-old Tori’s Dee was a noted 1000m specialist and but has won his last two starts over 1100 metres thanks to Chelsea who took full advantage of her allowance.
Tori’s Dee hadn’t won for two years when he held on to score at Ararat on May 9 and in Monday’s Manhari BM56 Hcp (1100m) saved a heap of ground on the rails, skipping away at the 400 metres and leading by as much as four lengths in the straight.
It proved a winning lead for the seven-year-old who started at $7 and got home a half-length ahead Lonely One ($17) and $2.35 favourite Forever with Ned.
Jamie said Chelsea was ideally suited to horses struggling to carry big weights.
“These are the horses 4-kilo kids should be riding,” Jamie said.
“You have just got to do the basics, you get them out of the gates well, you rate them, and then from the 600-metre mark home, you ride them like you just stole them.”
He said Chelsea stood out with her ability to steer horses properly which was underlined with her rail hugging ride on Tori’s Dee.
“There are plenty of kids out there to choose from and being apprenticed to Dane Smith she is always going to learn a lot,” Jamie said.
Chelsea has had six rides for Emsley Lodge and four of them have been on Tori’s Dee.
“He’s great. I love him,” Chelsea said.
“He’s such an honest old horse and he just puts them away so easily.”