William Reid milestone for Silent Sedition
Trainer Andrew Noblet and jockey Katelyn Mallyon have had different reactions to winning at Group One level for the first time after combining with Silent Sedition in the William Reid Stakes at Moonee Valley.
Mallyon was emotional after getting the best out of Silent Sedition to win Friday night’s 1200m-sprint narrowly from the Darren Weir-trained Hellbent while Noblet took the success in his stride.
Mallyon’s emotion was understandable after she recovered from a broken back in 2012 before upholding her proud family name with her maiden Group One win.
She hails from a family of jockeys with her grandfather Mick Mallyon a triple Caulfield Cup-winning rider while her father Brett rode and her brother Andrew and cousin Jordan are also jockeys.
“I just can’t believe it. I’m just so thrilled and there are so many people to thank,” Mallyon said.
“I’m so, so happy that I can win a Group One for the Mallyon name because it’s so rich in racing history.”
Silent Sedition dropped in distance from the 1500m of her narrow defeat in the Group One Coolmore Classic at Rosehill on March 11 to the 1200m of the William Reid Stakes.
The shorter distance was enough to lower Noblet’s pre-race expectations with the Caulfield trainer using the William Reid Stakes as a lead-up to the Group One Coolmore Legacy (1600m) at Randwick on April 8.
“I didn’t expect much here tonight, to be honest. Coming back from a mile, coming back from Sydney and to do that was just unbelievable,” Noblet said.
“She got back so well that I said to the owners during the week, ‘we have to give this horse a run’ and I didn’t want to run her in the mile (Sunline Stakes) so this was the only logical choice.
“Whatever happened, happened tonight.
“She’s just an unbelievable talent this mare.”
The Hawkes Racing-trained colt Star Turn started as the $4 favourite but finished third after getting an inside run and looking a chance on the home turn.
The William Reid Stakes was Star Turn’s third consecutive third placing after the three-year-old achieved the same result in the Lightning Stakes and Newmarket Handicap.