Magic Two in a Row for Weatherly

8th January 2024 ALJ111

Warrnambool apprentice jockey Jordyn Weatherly has notched up a win on one of the biggest days of the Warrnambool Racing Calendar, Jericho Cup Day.

On Sunday, 19-year-old Weatherly won the $50,000 Warrnambool Toyota Charge at Beersheba Sprint over 1000m onboard the Tom Dabernig trained Its Kind of Magic. “It was very exhilarating,” says Weatherly, “It was probably one of the bigger days in Warrnambool racing-wise.”

Just two weeks before, Weatherly had steered Its Kind of Magic to win at Dunkeld in front of a crowd of 7,000 people, providing the apprentice jockey with her very first race win. “I ride her every day and she’s one of my hardest rides trackwork,” says Weatherly, ““But she’s obviously my favourite because she was my first winner, and now I’ve won two on her.”

Weatherly was accepted into the Racing Victoria Apprentice Jockey Training Program in 2023 and had her first race ride on 26 October 2023, aboard another Dabernig-trained horse State of Maine. She has worked with racehorses since she was 14, starting out with her uncle Logan McGill.

Weatherly is currently apprenticed to Warrnambool-based trainer Tom Dabernig, who trains Its Kind of Magic. “It was a big thrill for her and a big thrill for the stable,” says Dabernig, “It certainly gave us all a bit of a lift and to be a part of it on the day was great.”

“Jordyn’s only been riding a short time, but she’s hit the ground running. She seems to suit horses that can go forward, and she’s got the knack of keeping them running.”

Dabernig also praised the success of Jericho Cup Day, “It is always good to be a part of these days, the community get right behind it and it’s a very popular race meeting.”

The Jericho Cup meeting has been held annually since 2018, commemorating 100 years since the original Jericho Cup was held during World War One. The race day features exhibitions by the Australian Light Horse Association, who also provide entertainment throughout Warrnambool on the Friday and Saturday. The feature race of the day, the $304,000 Jericho Cup was won by the New Zealand-bred Nassak Diamond, ridden by Campbell Rawiller and trained by New Zealand trainers Shaun Ritchie and Colin Murray.