Photo: Ajay Berry (Race Images South)
A perfectly judged front-running victory on Just Charlie (Zed) in the Listed Nautical Boat Insurance Metropolitan Trophy (2600m) capped a memorable New Zealand riding debut at Riccarton on Saturday for apprentice jockey Logan Bates.
Born and raised in Canterbury and a son of leading southern rider Kylie Williams, Bates is forging a successful career as an apprentice in Victoria. The 24-year-old has ridden over 110 winners, headed by a first black-type success with Jigsaw in the Gr.2 McEwen Stakes (1200m) on Cox Plate Day at Moonee Valley last month.
Bates jumped at the opportunity to return to his homeland on Saturday and ride against his mother for the first time. Both mother and son got on the board early in the afternoon – Bates with Enterprise in the One Good Horse At Avonhead Tavern Premier (1100m) and Williams aboard Platinum Pantheon in the Scenic Hotel Group Premier (1200m).
But then Bates stole the show with a feature-race triumph as he guided the Kevin Myers-trained Just Charlie to an all-the-way win in the Metropolitan.
Bates took up the lead within the first 100m of the race and was able to dictate terms from that point on. He began to up the ante and pull ahead of the field coming down the side of the track, and then Just Charlie kicked off the home turn and put three or four lengths on his nearest challenger.
Titicaca launched a powerful finish from the back of the field and got to within three-quarters of a length at the finish, but there would be no catching Just Charlie.
Bates exchanged fist bumps with his proud mother after unsaddling and was loudly cheered by family members on the front of the stand.
“It’s a big thrill and I have to give credit to ‘Dummy’ (Myers) and his team, they presented the horse in super order,” he said. “I was quite excited to ride him today after looking through his replays, because I could see his staying capability.
“There wasn’t a lot of pressure in the race and I was able to just let him do it his own way. He’s a big, strong, big-striding horse. I let him roll and ramped it up from the 1000m. He just gave me a wonderful feel. I was even able to have a couple of looks at the big screen to see how far in front we were.”
Just Charlie has had 24 starts for six wins, six placings and $206,435 in prize-money, and he now shares $4 favouritism with Titicaca for next Saturday’s Gr.3 Martin Collins 162nd New Zealand Cup (3200m).
“We think he’ll love going up to 3200m for the New Zealand Cup next week,” Myers’ son Jason said. “He was rated beautifully in front today by Logan and he just outstayed them in the end. Logan is a very good rider – we wouldn’t mind having him back home in New Zealand a bit more.
“Just Charlie’s ready to race now and we’ll just keep him ticking over through the week ahead of the Cup next Saturday.”
