IRISH jockey John Allen yesterday claimed a rare place in Grand Annual Steeplechase history.
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The 30-year-old won the Grand Annual and a flat race for the same trainer on the same day at the carnival.
“Unbelievable,” he said.
His day reflected the up-and-down nature of the sport, having been left disappointed when his mount, defending champion Gotta Take Care, was scratched from Wednesday’s Galleywood Hurdle.
Allen, who moved to Australia four years ago, described his win on Regina Coeli for Winslow trainer Ciaron Maher as a career highlight.
“It’s great,” he said.
“I won the Grand National (Steeplechase) last year and I won the Galleywood here last year. But look, to win the Grand Annual is super, especially in front of a huge crowd. It’s the home of jumps racing, it’s a lot more exciting to win a race here.”
Allen, who grew up in Cork, said his ability to ride on the flat and over jumps had been honed when he was a boy back in Ireland.
Luck too played a part, saying his lack of height compared with Australian jumps jockeys meant he was able to ride comfortably at 58kg, making it easier for him to ride in both types of races.
“We all rode ponies when we were younger and were involved in pony club and showjumping,” he said.
His mother had educated him and his sisters in pony club and showjumping but it was his father’s interest in racing that led him into the sport.
After out-riding his claim, he admitted rides back home were becoming harder to find.
“I wanted to see a bit of the world,” he said.
“I had a few friends over here and really wanted to travel. I never had the opportunity when I was younger. It was a good opening and it worked out well.”
Allen feared he had ruined Regina Coeli’s chances of winning in Tuesday’s Brierly Steeplechase where they set the pace until the home turn. He thought that run might have taken too much out of the mare.
“Thankfully it worked out,” he said.