PATIENCE is indeed a virtue!
Wyong trainer Damien Lane and his wife Kate have had to play a “waiting game” - but it had its rewards on their home track yesterday.
Their cleverly-named three-year-old filly with a West Indian theme, Jamakin Money (her dam is the Danehill mare Reggae) broke through at Wyong yesterday in a Super Maiden Plate (1000m).
A solidly backed $2.60 favorite at only her third start and with Grant Buckley aboard, she defeated Super Zippi ($19) and Artifactx ($15) to claim the $28,400 first prize.
It’s been ages since Press Statement filly Jamakin Money made her debut when sixth to Cigar Flick in a 2YO Maiden (1100m) on a heavy Canterbury track on January 6 last year.
“It rained heavily on the way to the races that day, so it wasn’t an ideal surface for her debut,” Lane recalled today.
“Jamakin Money has had some knee issues, and we weren’t able to trial her again until mid-September when she won an 845m heat at Wyong.
“Unfortunately, she was sore again afterwards and had to go out for four months.”
Even though Jamakin Money had not raced for more than 14 months, Lane was confident he had her primed for a first-up tilt at Gosford on March 16.
Unfortunately, bad luck once more stood in the way when she finished a close fourth to Single Benefactor in a 1000m Super Maiden.
Buckley rode her then and ensured he took any bad luck out of the equation this time by taking the filly straight to the front yesterday – and she did the job, much to her trainer’s relief.
“Being a Super Maiden, it was a nice race to win and I’m sure she has further upside,” Lane said.
An earlier connection with Jamakin Money’s older half-brother inspired the Lanes to purchase her as a weanling online for $22,500 in April, 2022.
“I educated a Deep Field youngster (Starry Sea) here to go to Hong Kong, and he won a Gosford 2YO trial in January, 2021,” Lane explained.
“Jason Collett rode him in the trial, and was pretty impressed with him.
“Starry Sea didn’t race here, but has won a couple of races in Hong Kong under the name of Gorgeous Vitality.
“When we noticed this filly come up for sale online, we were able to buy her.”
Jamakin Money was offered as a yearling in 2022 at the Inglis HTBA sale, but didn’t reach her $40,000 reserve.
Her Wyong victory continued Lane’s 2023-24 momentum. She was his 26th winner in the first two-thirds of the season, and took him to within three of a career triple century.
. Kembla Grange trainer Mitchell Beer and his apprentice Angus Villiers combined for a Nowra success today.
Villiers won the Maiden Plate (1000m) for Beer on $7.50 chance Zhivago, who defeated fellow Kembla Grange trainer Joe Ible’s $2.20 favorite Sturty.
Lightly-raced Russian Revolution three-year-old Zhivago was having only his second start, and gave Beer his 25thwinner of the season.
Story John Curtis, March 31, 2024 - Pics Steve Hart Photographics
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