- World’s best female jockey says ‘put your house’ on $6.75 chance
- Three-time Melbourne Cup winner Boss prefers horse paying $5.50
- The $2million Magic Millions 2YO Classic runs on Saturday
Aussie Jamie Kah is rated the best female jockey in the world so it’s safe to say she knows a little more than the average punter when it comes to spotting a winner – and she has some golden tips on doing just that ahead of the Magic Millions race.
The 28-year-old is the first hoop to ride 100 winners in a Melbourne metropolitan racing season and counts the Doncaster Handicap and Hong Kong Classic Mile among her biggest wins.
After riding more than 1000 winners, she’s now one of the stars of the Miles In Front horse racing documentary on Binge and Kayo, and is known for her uncanny knack of knowing how a horse wants to run.
She believes keeping a close eye on how the horses behave in the mounting yard before a race is a good way of spotting a winner – and which nags you shouldn’t put your money on.
Star jockey Jamie Kah (pictured) knows a thing or two about judging how well prepared a racehorse is – and she gave Daily Mail Australia some great tips on how to spot a winner
Kah has her eye on Arabian Summer in the Magic Millions 2YO Classic on the Gold Coast on Saturday, where royal Zara Tindall (pictured) will be in attendance
‘It’s their attitude in the mounting yard,’ Kah told Daily Mail Australia.
‘If they’re sweating up, or jig-jogging, trotting and not walking, it’s very hard for us to go out there and ride them and get them to listen to us, to put them in the right spot in the race. It’s hard to keep them concentrating.
‘What you want to see is them behaving themselves and being relaxed in the mounting yard. That’s a big positive.’
The Gai Waterhouse-trained Storm Boy is the favourite to take out the Magic Millions 2YO Classic on the Gold Coast on Saturday, but Kah is keen on a different runner.
‘I think [trainer] Tony McEvoy’s horse is impossible to beat, Arabian Summer,’ she said.
‘Put the house on it.’
Glen Boss hosts the Miles In Front and won a list of huge races that’s longer than the Flemington straight, including three Melbourne Cups in a row on the legendary Makybe Diva.
He has his eye on trainer Michael Freedman’s entry in the race.
‘I think it’s Highness, [jockey] Tommy Berry’s horse,’ he said.
‘His win was pretty solid, they put winkers on him and then he trialled the other day like a proper horse. I think he’s the one to beat, to be honest.’
Legendary hoop Glen Boss (pictured) is famed for riding Makybe Diva to three straight Melbourne Cup wins – he is confident Highness will be first past the post
Kah (pictured after riding a winner in December) says horses sweating up or trotting in the mounting yard should be a warning sign for punters
That tallies with the pick from one of Australia’s leading bookmakers, BetRight CEO Anthony Waller.
‘Barriers of are vital importance in two-year-old races, and that’s why Highness is our top pick,’ Waller explained.
‘Coming out of barrier four, Highness will get a gun run and looks ideally suited, with further improvement expected since its prior win in the lead-up race at Wyong.
‘Being a well-bred colt by Snitzel, the connections Highness will no doubt be eyeing off a huge stud deal should he salute on Saturday’.
Waller thinks Kah’s choice isn’t far off the money either.
‘With the quick back-up from last week, Arabian Summer will be on the pace and will give backers a good sight.
‘She could not have been more impressive when bolting in, albeit against weaker opposition at the same track last Saturday and it’s fair to say that team McEvoy knows what it takes to win a Magic Millions 2yo Classic having tasted success a few years back with gun galloper Sunlight.’
