Edgley packs winning one-two punch

Another Benalla connection in the Ken Aldous-trained Sokkies looked set to spoil the party in the final race of the day — the BM58 Handicap over 1406m — chasing down the front-running Edgley aboard bookies’ favourite Donndubhan in the final straight.

But the 20-year-old remained calm under pressure, urging the Brent Stanley-trained gelding on by a neck at the final post.

Speaking post-race, Edgley said she could not quite believe it when she realised she had secured the winning double.

“I was like ‘no, surely not’,” she said.

“I’m going to have to have a coming-back-down-to-earth party, not a celebration party, because I just can’t believe it.

“But (Donndubhan) was just an amazing horse; he was so persistent and he wasn’t going to give up.”

Two races earlier in the Fillies and Mares BM58 Handicap over 1106m, the stars aligned for the apprentice jockey as she and Bellarina Magic saluted to give Edgley her maiden victory.

Edgley said she knew at the top of the straight she could have a winner on her hands before the pair stormed home ahead of the fast-finishing Kootara.

“(Bellarina Magic) just travelled for me so well through the whole thing,” Edgley said.

“We did miss the jump a little bit, so I was a bit concerned, but on the straight when we were able to take the gap she just did it so easily.

“I was a little bit worried about the favourite coming down the outside, and I was screaming for her not to slow down.

“But she wasn’t going to slow down, she was amazing.”

Edgley’s breakthrough win was made even more special as it was aboard a mare trained by Ben Brisbourne, with whom Edgley is currently completing her apprenticeship.

Brisbourne said Edgley deserved all the day’s success.

“She’s been with me since the day I walked into Wangaratta Racecourse, so she’s a big part of my team,” Brisbourne said.

“She’s always wanted to be an apprentice, she made that clear when she came to me.

“I said ‘we’ll turn you from a trackwork rider into a jockey’, so it’s a big thrill for myself as well.”

Edgley, who followed up with another winner at Swan Hill on Tuesday, thanked everyone who had helped her reach this point.

“I can’t thank everyone around me enough, the support just means so much to me,” she said.

Edgley was joined by two other jockeys in riding doubles at Benalla, with Billy Egan and Blaike McDougall also twice saluting the judge.

A second female apprentice, Tianni Chapman, also rode a winner, helping steer the Benalla-trained Secret Way to his fourth career victory for trainer Peter Smith.

It was back-to-back victories for the eight-year-old gelding after saluting at Tatura last month and also brings up the $100,000 mark in prize money won.

Another of Smith’s chances, She’s Original, couldn’t quite shed her maiden tag at her home track over the 1206m, finishing a head off a resurgent Rowdy Rebel.

• Benalla’s Russell Osborne has turned Boom Express into a winner, the five-year-old mare celebrating a third-up win, the second victory of her career, at Yarra Valley in the 0-58 Hcp over 1000m on Saturday.

Boom Express crossed to Riverbank Farm earlier this year having built a reputation as a perennial bridesmaid under Chris Meagher, with five seconds from her first nine starts.

But following a 16-week spell, Boom Express has resumed with a bang, her first start under Osborne netting her a third before going on to break her maiden two weeks later at Benalla on September 26.