Matthew Kelley made a spectacular entry into training, the Highway series, and way beyond and, if luck plays his way, he can be a factor at odds with airborne three-race winning bargain Starlight Girl at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
A Waterhouse and Bott discard, the impeccably bred $180,000 yearling was purchased for just $12,000, but as fourth emergency and one scratching so far it’s an impatient wait for young Matthew.
Trainer Matthew Kelley (Pic: Bradley Photos).
At $19 the Zoustar-Faustine (Snitzel) filly has 56.5kg and barrier five for regular rider Quayde Krogh in a Class 3, 1200m on heavy with all suggesting if they squeeze in, her 1000m speed can test odds-on favourite Clear Thinking.
Meanwhile Kelley, 27, had a brilliant start to a training career in 2022 after weight curtailed aspirations to be jockey.
Matt won three races with his first eight starters, a headquarters Highway with his initial series runner I’ve Bean Tryin’. It won again at Warwick Farm, progressed for a super third in the Country Championship final and fifth in The Kosciuszko.
While Matt’s stable star is spelling and soon back in work, winners have been constant enough with 18 this season and 31 placings. Starlight Girl has led to win at Queanbeyan, Goulburn and Albury with scintillating 1000m speed and time on rain affected ground.
“We’re ready to go, I’ve been in this situation before so I don’t get my hopes up but three wins is superior form to the majority of the field from a wagering point of view,” Kelley offers.
In Kelley’s favour are the inevitable number of Highway scratchings from wide barriers in capacity fields. Particularly on heavy going.
On a present heavy 8, favourite is Clear Thinking with the flying Messara and Gavranich team who have dominated recent Highways, the latest with Know Yourself rated highly enough off a massive recent Highway win to be favourite in the Winx Guineas on Saturday at the Sunshine Coast.
Matt explains why Starlight Girl was moved on by Waterhouse and Bott after just one start, failing in a Wyong maiden in May of last year.
“She’s highly strung, excitable and does have barrier issues. I went back through her trials and jump outs with Gai before she won those races for us,” Matthew explains.
“There’s no problem with her loading but any extended time in the barriers she gets agitated and prone to rear.
“But we’re resolving them with race experience. She’s come out running to win three in a row, she’s a natural talent.
“Quayde has done a remarkable job with the perseverance and extra work he’s put in with her.”
All of that demonstrated by Quayde travelling to Sydney for just the one ride.
Kelley also rides the three-year-old track work often enough. His passions evolved on the family property at Cooma where he started as a little tacker in pony clubs, show riding, progressed to rodeos, track work rider and foreman for his father David who still trains at Cooma.
– Racing NSW
