Ceerseven (NZ) ridden by Jaylah Kennedy wins the Ascend Sales Trophies Challenger Handicap at Moonee Valley Racecourse on January 27, 2024
Jaylah Kennedy has scored her maiden Saturday city winner at the first time of asking, giving Mitch Freedman’s Ceerseven a ripping steer to steal a last-gasp victory at The Valley.
The 22-year-old apprentice has collected some metropolitan experience this season, picking up a few rides at the midweeks as well as Ballarat and Geelong’s recent standalone meetings.
It was at the latter where Ceerseven dashed home for an impressive third against the pattern fresh, and connections elected to keep Kennedy aboard for the gelding’s next assignment.
The son of Complacent ($3.20) settled near enough last off the fence, before commencing a run down the side, as Damian Lane and Brooklyn Boss nicked off around the turn.
Ceerseven was forced wide on the corner, but Kennedy kept him away from traffic, letting him build his momentum all the way through the line.
The pair needed every milligram of Kennedy’s three-kilo claim but got there just in time for a most impressive triumph, repaying connections’ faith in the up-and-coming hoop.
“Unbelievable… a massive thanks to Mitch, the connections of this horse and the whole team,” she said.
“They didn’t have to keep me on today, he only had the 58.5kg before the claim.
“But they stuck to their guns and stuck with me, and I’m just glad I could repay them.”
Kennedy, whose first metro winner was her 48th overall, elected to go back from the barriers and take her medicine, but her mount had other ideas and raced keenly down the back straight.
But ultimately, it all worked out, Ceerseven letting rip when finally given the reign to do so and leaving his jockey very impressed in the process.
“From the barriers, I thought where I wanted to sit, three pairs back, one off roughly, was probably going to be a bit out of my range,” Kennedy said.
“I had to bite the bullet and ride pretty patiently, and he really wanted to tow me into the race probably before I wanted him to.
“But it was just about keeping a rhythm and keeping him balanced, and he was really strong to the line.”
WATCH: Ceerseven flashes home late to win
