IRISH jockey Martin Kelly is in for a far more exciting first day of the May Racing Carnival than last year.
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The 25-year-old has the plum ride on today’s Brierly Steeplechase favourite Thubiaan — a far cry from 12 months ago when he failed to land a ride on any of the carnival’s three days.
Kelly revealed he sampled last year’s opening day of the carnival trackside before driving back to his Leongatha base.
“I was depressed. I didn’t want to be here and not be riding,” he said.
Today, he returns a vastly happier individual.
His ride in the Brierly is just one of five engagements he has this week, including Above Average in tomorrow’s Galleywood and Take Out in Thursday’s Grand Annual.
“This is definitely the best book of rides I have had here,” he said.
Kelly arrived in Australia seven years ago for a three-month holiday after the season of point-to-point races in Ireland had finished.
He rides for leading trainer Eric Musgrove, who is based at Bass on the Mornington Peninsula.
He has no regrets about leaving his home in County Wexford.
“It was the best move I ever made,” Kelly said.
“Everything is better here: the weather, the money, the way of life.”
After schooling Thubiaan over the Tozer Road double on Sunday, Kelly declared the gelding ready for today’s classic. “I couldn’t be happier with him,” he said.
Kelly partnered Thubiaan to his first victory over bigger fences in last month’s Von Doussa Steeplechase at Oakbank and believes they can be successful again today.
Kelly is one of four Irish-born jockeys tackling the Brierly with Shane Jackson riding Mannertone, John Allen on Ciaron Maher’s Regina Coeli and Patrick Flood on Gai Waterhouse’s Valediction.