Inside Racing: Jockey caps off memorable week with prized win

Imperial Lad, trained by John Moloney, hung on to defeat Suparazi and Here To Shock in the 1600-metre race.

The win capped off a memorable week for the 28-year-old apprentice. She won her first Melbourne metropolitan race on General Assembly at Sandown last Wednesday and celebrated her birthday on Thursday.

"It's been a busy and enjoyable few days," Childs told The Standard. "I'm over the moon. Winning my first Melbourne metropolitan race on Wednesday was special and then I had my birthday on Thursday which was great and now I've rode my biggest race winner.

"I'm lost for words. I went to the races quietly confident Imperial Lad would run well but to come home with the cup is amazing. There were some really nice horses running in the race and Imperial Lad had not won for a while but he fought on strongly to win.

"I'm lucky that trainer John Moloney and Imperial Lad's owners stuck with me as it was not a claim race for apprentices. I'm really grateful they gave me the ride."

Sunday's cup win took Childs' record to 55 winners. Childs can still claim three kilograms in town and 1.5kgs in the country.

Colourful Colac trainer Bill Cerchi is hoping the days of expensive yearlings are over. Cerchi is like other trainers who have watched as the prices have skyrocketed but he thinks those days might be behind us.

"I'm going over to the yearling sales in Adelaide next week and I've got my fingers crossed I might be able to pick a yearling or two at realistic prices," he said.

"Prices for yearlings have been over the top for the past few years. I'm just hoping the heat has gone out of the market. I thought the prices at the recent Inglis Yearling Sale came back a notch or two. The economy has got a light tighter and I'm confident that's got to flow through to the prices of yearlings."

The Adelaide Magic Millions Yearling Sales are on March 18 and 19.

Meanwhile, Cerchi said his long-serving track work rider Michelle Jamieson would finish up at the end of March.

"Michelle has been riding work for me for more than 17 years," he said. "She's decided to pull the pin at the end of the month. I'm going to miss her because she's been a great worker. I can understand why she's leaving but believe me I'm going to miss her."

Cerchi has five horses in work and is hoping to increase on that number in the near future.

Warrnambool trainer Tom Dabernig will lift the bar with his lightly raced filly Whistlefield after she won a $60,000 race over 1000 metres at Moonee Valley on Friday night.

Whistlefield, with Linda Meech in the saddle, beat I Am Geronimo and Chalice Well.

Dabernig said Whistlefield might now be set for a black type race.

"I think Whistlefield deserves a crack at a better race," he said.

"There's a listed race at the Valley in a few weeks - we'll probably go down that path with her. It would be great if she could get some black type next to her name.

"She had run third at her previous two runs from a spell and I thought she had her foot on the till. It was a good effort because she drew a wide barrier. Whistlefield has had no luck with her barriers.

"One day she'll draw a good barrier and we'll see how well she goes then. She's got a bit of talent. She runs well on dry and wet tracks. It's great to get a win with Whistlefield for her ownership group which is headed by Joe O'Neill.

"He's been a big supporter of the stable and we really appreciate the support Joe and his fellow owners give us."

From her six starts Whistlefield has won two races and won more than $60,000 in prizemoney.

An undefeated Hong Kong prospect, multiple desirable three-in-one packages and a yearling re-education draft headline another intriguing catalogue for the Inglis Digital March (early) Online Sale.

The undefeated three-year-old Outsmarted is an interesting entry for both the Australian and in particular Hong Kong market.

Outsmarted is trained by Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou and has won both his starts to date in impressive fashion. He has been vetted and passed as low risk for Hong Kong importation with an import rating of 63.

Outsmarted is also a top-level prospect for the Australian and New Zealand market, with his on-speed racing style sure to appeal to a broad range of buyers. Kooringal Stid will offer a draft of 23 yearlings in the sale.

Among the offerings are 12 yearlings by Prized Icon, whose most recent Star Tropical Squall won the Group 1 Surround Stakes at Randwick. More than 410 entries were received for the sale - 178 racehorses (80 race fillies), 121 broodmares, 68 yearlings, 42 racehorse shares, four weanlings and three unraced stock. There are also yearlings by All Too Hard, Deep Field, Dundeel, Royal Meeting, So You Think and Trapeze Artist to mention a few sires.

The final countdown of bidding for the sale begins from 10am on Wednesday.