Darby Edwards, best known as “Big Jobs” on Emsley Lodge’s weekly video, celebrated his first winner as a strapper when El Sordo scored at Werribee on Friday.
It has been a long wait for Darby who has been an occasional strapper for more than two years.
His role at Emsley Lodge is “Farm Manager” but he added strapping to his CV in February 2022 when he led around Miletus at Sandown.
Coincidently, Miletus races in the same green and red colours as El Sordo and Mike Palmer, of Sertorius fame, bred and owns both horses.
“It is a big day for my middle son Darby strapping his first winner,” trainer Jamie Edwards said.
“We were a bit under the pump today and Darby has come off the bench and got the result.”
A lightly raced son of Toronado, El Sordo has had eight starts and placed for the first time when beaten just over five lengths at Werribee on May 6.
Jamie considered running El Sordo over a mile but the likelihood of another wet track at Werribee kept him at 1417 metres in the Chris Alabakis Legacy Maiden Plate.
Ridden by Jarrod Fry, El Sordo ($13) showed surprising early speed and settled a length behind the leader Strike First and took the lead approaching the 400 metres.
Despite the rain-affected track, the three-year-old found a length under pressure entering the straight and kept running strongly to the line to hold off Akito ($7) to win by a half-length with Castle on High ($3) another 1-1/4 lengths away third.
“I was surprised he was so close in the run today but full credit to the jockey as he made the right decision,” Jamie said.
Jarrod Fry said El Sordo began well and was always travelling comfortably.
“He got into a good rhythm and really towed me into the straight,” Jarrod said.
“He handled the ground well, and it makes it easier when they can do that.”