Jennings and Doyle riding towards milestone

Golden Eagle winning jockey Koby Jennings is edging towards a milestone 50 winners for his long time mate Nathan Doyle and sees no reason why emerging filly Overriding can’t add another to the tally at Randwick on Saturday.

OVERRIDING.
OVERRIDING. Picture: Steve Hart

Koby Jennings and Nathan Doyle have paired for 47 winners to date, and they have a 25 per cent strike rate, which is easily the Newcastle trainer's most successful combination.

And it's also been a memorable season for the 28-year-old hoop, who won the 2020 Golden Eagle on Colette for Godolphin, with 67 winners (so far) comfortably his best.

"Most seasons I've been out through injury at times so this time I've actually managed to get a full season in which is good,'' Jennings said.

"We've been mates since before Nathan was training. When Nathan was starting out just with a couple of horses I was going to Dubbo and Mudgee to try to help out and get some luck with him. And we did and it's continued on.

"I always pictured him climbing the ranks the way that he has.

"He's the sort of person that was never not going to be successful as a horse trainer because he pays so much attention to detail."'

Overriding is unbeaten in three runs this preparation, all with Jennings on board, and she'll have to overcome a bit of adversity and 2kg more than her Randwick win three weeks ago when she tackles the Schweppes Handicap (1400m).

Jennings said he will always ride the three-year-old, $2.70 with TAB on Thursday, with confidence because so far she's given him no reason not to.

"She impressed me with how versatile she is. She doesn't seem to care where she is ridden,'' he said.

"I think I've ridden her in just about every style you can except leading."

That comes in handy because Overriding will jump from gate nine in the 11 horse field on Saturday.

In the last start win, Jennings found himself midfield and buried away with plenty of cover and had to do plenty of ducking and weaving before she mowed down Miss Hellfire to win.

"If she misses the kick I can ride her back and if she flies out and puts herself on the speed I can just go with it,'' he said.

"I'm confident with her, I wouldn't say it's an overly challenging race and she deserves to be winning again in town.

"If she keeps ticking boxes I don't see why she can't win another one."

Jennings partners Ostracised for Cody Morgan in the TAB Highway (1200m) having become acquainted with the gelding in a second placing at Scone on June 30.

The four-year-old drifted back to last early and Jennings stole runs along the inside as he ran on in the 1000m scamper under 61.5kg.

"I'm not quite sure how he ended up back there but he found his way through and ran a very nice race,'' he said.

"He deserves a shot in a Highway race."


Racing and Sports