This time last year, Miss Joelene was highlighting herself as one to watch for the future, having placed in the Group 2 The Roses and the Group 1 Queensland Oaks, and after a few runs behind the outstanding Antino (Redwood) this time in, a class drop on Saturday saw her record victory in the $200,000 Listed BRC Tattersall’s Gold Crown (2100m) at Eagle Farm.
Backing up from last week’s effort in the Listed Ipswich Cup (2150m), the Kelly Schweida trained mare was well supported to start on the third line of betting behind the Chris Waller-trained race favourite Mare Of Mt Buller (Dundeel).
From the indie barrier, jockey Angel Jones settled the 4yo in mid-field position with the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr trained Kitty Rose (GB) (Invincible Army) ensuring a solid tempo upfront as she lead the field into the home turn.
As many of the runners drifted wide rounding the bend, Jones maintained her inside position, slowly reeling in the leaders to pull clear and win by a length from the John O'Shea & Tom Charlton-trained Quietness (GB) who was well supported at just her second Australian start, recording some valuable black type.
With regular jockey Cejay Graham on a suspension enforced holiday, connections were confident with Jones, who had ridden two winners from the previous five races on the Eagle Farm card.
"I feel for Cejay [Graham] who is out suspended at the minute,” said Schweida post-race.
“She's on holiday in New Zealand but well done to Ange, I think that puts her one ahead in the jockeys' premiership.
“It's great for the horse and her owners, who are off on holiday themselves. We did think about the Caloundra Cup with this horse, but without knowing what weather was around, we didn't want to have to run 2400-metres on heavy ground with 60 kilos on our back. So we came here today and it's paid off."
"She ran well in the Ipswich Cup last week and from a tricky gate, Cejay had to go forward and there wasn't a lot of speed in the race. From the inside alley today, Ange was able to put her to sleep and she got the gun ride.
“We saw the last winner came down the fence so we decided to do the same thing, and it worked out perfectly. She's starting to get her rating up so we might consider a trip to Melbourne or Sydney in the spring."
Jockey Angela Jones was very complimentary on how well Schweida had presented the mare.
"She's been going really well all prep, it's just bad luck with barriers that had been beating her,” said Joanes.
“I was lucky to get the inside barrier today, and my heart goes out to poor Cejay as she kept getting dished up horrible gates.
“Kelly's done a great job with her, he's had her spot on all prep. We just had to wait for things to go our way, and I was confident she was going to win a long way out."
"I was pretty happy to stick to the fence, even though a few of the other jockeys were keen to get away from the inside. It's been playing brilliantly today, so I was delighted to get the saloon passage through."
Purchased for just $20,000 from the Kenmore Lodge draft at the Magic Millions National Yearling Sale by her trainer, the Cannon Hayes foaled and raced Miss Joelene took her earnings past the $1m mark with her victory, her sixth, with a further ten placed efforts from 29 starts for owners Wilrace Pty Ltd.
Becoming the ‘lucky’ 13th stakes winner for Newgate Farm’s Russian Revolution, who will stand the upcoming spring at a fee of $33,000 (inc. GST), Miss Joelene is one of two stakes winners over the Brisbane winter carnival so far for her sire, joining Group 2 BRC Victory Stakes winner Libertad.
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