Walk in the park for Jameka in the BMW Stakes
CIARON Maher-trained Jameka added another group one crown to its already glittering resume after taking out the BMW Stakes in consummate ease.
Lasqueti Spirit bolted out of the gates and lead by as many as 12 lengths in the early part of the race, but jockey Hugh Bowman bided his time and presented the horse at the right time to salute as a $3.10 favourite at Sportsbet.com.au.
Maher said the horse setting the hot tempo suited Jameka perfectly in the group one race.
“She travels well, when she can bowl along where she is happy, she generally can produce her best so super effort today. It’s just a big thrill,” Maher said.
Jameka’s hoop Hugh Bowman said the horse put together a sensational performance, but he had to consider his options given Lasqueti Spirit burnt off the field in the early stages.
“She made my job easy, I just had to keep her happy, keep her in rhythm,” Bowman said.
“I had to have confidence in her ability and just wanted to stay close enough, because if she [Lasqueti Spirit] didn’t stop then I could reel her in, but not use up too much petrol if the swoopers came.”
“She has been primed for the race and Ciaron (Maher) said all along that he had set her for this race.”
Darren Weir-trained Humidor came from the pack to claim second and return $1.50 at WilliamHill.com.au while Exospheric ($2 at Sportsbet.com.au) plugged on well to take third.
Humidor’s jockey Damian Lane said he thought the horse had the race in the bag but did not anticipate Jameka’s kick in the latter stages of the race.
“I couldn’t be happier with him. I thought rounding the corner he was the winner, (for Jameka) to sprint as well as she did in that ground was really something else,” Lane said.
“I was really happy with the way he went but the winner was too strong through the ground.”
It was another spectacular display from Jameka in a big race, and Maher has not ruled out taking the superstar outside Australia.
“Yeah definitely,” Maher said when asked if a stint overseas could be on the cards.
“We said one step at a time through the prep. Depending how she comes through super order. It’s a great conundrum to have.”