Apprentice Jamie Kah would have liked to come to Melbourne earlier, however the 18-year-old had to concentrate on winning lasts season’s Adelaide Jockeys’ Premiership. Currently sitting in second position on the South Australian Premiership Table, behind only leading senior hoop Claire Lindop, Kah has taken the opportunity to spend a few weeks on loan to Caulfield trainer Mick Price.
The first apprentice to win the Adelaide Jockey Premiership since Jason Holder in 1995/96, Kah started with Price on Monday and finishes her stint at the end of January.
After making her debut in March 2012, Kah has already ridden 178 winners with her tally of 41 Adelaide victories last season three more than her nearest rival Paul Gatt.
Currently with a 1.5kg claim in town and no claim in the country, Kah said she would like to one day base herself permanently in Melbourne.
“It’s definitely been a goal of mine to ride in Melbourne,” Kah said. “Adelaide racing has been a great start for me but ultimately Melbourne is the racing leader.
“I’ll see how I go this month but I’d love to move across if I could. I’ve enjoyed my time here so far and Mick’s great to work for.
“I wanted to come over to Melbourne a bit earlier originally but with the premiership any everything last year I just wanted to focus on Adelaide. Ideally I would have wanted to come over with a bit more of a claim but it has just worked out this way in the end.”
Admitting there was a substantial difference in pace at Caulfield track work compared to what she was used to, Kah said she was thoroughly enjoying the experience.
“I said to Mick the other morning that I’ve never seen so many horses working home in 11 seconds over their last furlong,” she said. “I’ve never ridden so many good horses at once.
“You really get to feel the difference between a great horse and just an average horse.
“I got to ride Lion Of Belfort the other day, they’re just machines those type of horses and they give you a great feel when you’re riding them.”
Though she has ridden at Flemington before, having finished ninth and twelfth in two rides on Anzac Day last year, Kah said she was excited about the opportunity to get on two leading chances for Price among her three rides this Saturday.
“It would be great to get an early winner for Mick,” Kah said. “It has been a bit slow kicking off so far but I’ve been looking forward to Saturday all week to get on the back of a few nice horses.”
Among her three rides for Price, Kah will partner promising four-year-old Mandla in the $80,000 Leonard Handicap (1410m).
Currently rated the $2.80 TAB fixed odds favourite, Price’s confidence in the horse was overshadowed by his wrap of Kah’s ability.
“She is an absolutely beautiful rider,” Price told RSN. “She’s ridden winners for us in Adelaide but watching her here in track work she really gets horses going well and she has got the best pair of hands on her.
“We’ve always had a good opinion of Mandla. He’s a big Bel Esprit horse that has had some knee issues in the past but he’s pretty spot on now and hopefully he can win.”
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