Champion South African jockey Douglas Whyte landed the $1 million Group I Railway Stakes (1600m) when guiding the Lindsey Smith-trained Scales Of Justice to victory at Ascot on Saturday.
Douglas Whyte. Photo: SCMP
The 13-time champion Hong Kong jockey secured his second Australian Group I victory to add to his 2014 Kingston Town Classic success aboard the Chris Waller-trained Moriarty.
It wasn’t until last Sunday that Whyte landed the ride aboard Scales Of Justice after regular rider Paul Harvey was slapped with a heavy careless riding suspension last Saturday at Ascot.
“We got Douglas down here, it cost a lot of money to get Douglas down here but that’s what you get. You get results,” Smith told Sky Racing.
“That’s why he is a champion jockey in Hong Kong. He rode that horse, did his homework and listened to what I said.”
Smith said it was the advice given to him by Harvey that has resulted in Scales Of Justice turning around two defeats at the start of his preparation. Saturday’s victory was the four-year-old gelding’s third straight.
“Paul Harvey said to me this horse can’t let down, he only has a cruising speed so I worked him harder,” he said.
Whyte bounded his mount quickly from the barriers and Scales Of Justice ($9) took up the running and was never headed when landing a 2-3/4 length victory over last year’s Railway Stakes winner Good Project ($9) with top local mare Perfect Reflection ($4.60 fav), a head away in third.
“It’s good to get another Group I in Western Australia, I love the place,” Whyte said.
“I have to say thank you to Lindsey Smith for giving me the call up. It was the 24th hour I got the ride and it’s a great honour to come here.
“Lindsey gave me all the confidence in the world. He said, ‘If no one leads you lead and if you lead they won’t beat you’.
“He led and put his ears up. He was always going to be a hard nut to crack.
“When I got to the 300 and pressed the button, he really let down and he’s not done with yet. He’s going up.”
The win was Scales Of Justice’s seventh from 13 starts and took his earnings to $945,250.
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