Apprentice jockey Tanya Jonker secured an early treble at Phar Lap Raceway on Friday.

 

She was victorious aboard the Michael and Matthew Pitman-trained Liam in the opening race before riding home Wynmore to a 2-1/2 length victory in the Equine Veterinary Services Sprint (1200m) and Bluey’s Chance in the McIntosh Catering Handicap (1200m) for Kenny Moore. 

 

Jonker was delighted to get a winning double for the Rangiora trainer and said the win aboard Wynmore was particularly special for an absent Moore, who had named the three-year-old filly after his mother.

 

“Kenny is not here today, which is a bit sad for him. She was named after his Mum I think,” Jonker said.

 

Jonker had ridden the daughter of Coats Choice in her previous two starts and said she has continued to improve with each run.

 

“In her last start I went forward and she didn’t make the bend that well, so today it was nice to have the cutaway (rail), get a bit of guidance and see if she had something left.

 

“She has really improved in the last few starts, she has always had the ability, it’s just putting the bits together.”

 

 

 

The weather forecasts played a big part in Grahame Begg's decision to keep Romancer closer to home to run at Caulfield rather than travel him interstate.

 

Begg had also nominated Romancer for Saturday's Listed Winter Challenge (1500m) in Sydney at Rosehill, but a wet forecast in Melbourne he decided Saturday's Catanach's Jewellers Handicap (1400m) was the best option.

 

"The weather prediction was for the rain here and that's what he relishes, getting soft ground," Begg said.

 

Romancer has had three starts since being transferred to Begg earlier this year and is trained out of the Pinecliff property on the Mornington Peninsula.

 

The five-year-old gelding won second-up for Begg in a heat of the Winter Championship Series Final over 1400m on a soft track at Flemington last month before finishing second in the Listed Winter Championship Series Final (1600m) at the same track last start on a track which got back to a good rating.

 

"He is going well," Begg said. "We've obviously changed his environment. He's being trained out of Pinecliff and we don't work him hard.

 

"He does relish soft tracks, which is one thing, and I really believe a mile (1600m) is right at the top of his distance range.

 

"He travelled very well in the run the other day and probably didn't let down quite as well in comparison to the way he travelled in the race."

 

Given his belief Romancer is best-suited around 1400m, Begg is not concerned at all about dropping him back to that distance on Saturday.

 

"He's had three weeks break between runs," he said. "We don't have to do a lot of work with him. We just keep him ticking over."