Andrew Mallyon rides Flemington double
Crystal Dreamer has turned the tables on Perth sprinter Malibu Style to give jockey Andrew Mallyon a winning double at Flemington.
Mallyon had earlier steered two-year-old debutante Booker to victory in the Phar Lap Club Plate before that filly’s Mathew Ellerton and Simon Zahra-trained stablemate Crystal Dreamer took out the Sports Handicap (1000m) by a neck.
“That’s my first double here at Flemington, I think,” Mallyon said.
“It’s only taken me 12 years. Better late than never.”
Mallyon, who has ridden more than 60 winners statewide this season, rides trackwork at Flemington on a full-time basis for Godolphin, but the Ellerton and Zahra team have long been supporters of the jockey.
“I was apprenticed to Matty and Simon and I actually took the job at Godolphin with Matty’s blessing,” Mallyon said.
“I still do trials for him and help out when I can.
“I owe them a lot.”
Crystal Dreamer defeated Malibu Style over 1000m at Caulfield two starts ago before Malibu Style turned the tables when winning the Bel Esprit Stakes at the same track last start, with Crystal Dreamer finishing third.
Crystal Dreamer met Malibu Style better at the weights on Saturday and tracked him early in the straight-track race on the outside section of the course before sprinting past him at the business end.
Malibu Style finished a neck away in second, with Husson Eagle a short neck away third.
“I was very confident coming into today with him,” Mallyon said.
“I didn’t think there was anything between him and Malibu Style but I had a weight swing today of two kilos and I was always going to get a nice run in behind him.
“The 1000 metres is a good distance for him and it all just worked very well for him.”