Irish Jockeys win Australian series Success for Stephen Gray in the $40k hurdle at Morphettville's Irish Day on Saturday and a second placing for Mark Walsh in the similarly endowed chase saw the Irish jockeys team take over the South Australian Jockey Club sponsored Jumps Challenge to win the five-race series 70 ½ points to 58 ½ . Gray had endured a torrid time at home although taking the Martinstown Series title to earn his place on the team. Riding 4/1 chance Destiny Calls he looked to have the measure of Man Of Class when that odds-on favourite blundered badly at the last flight and unseated. “I thought I was going to win but thought I had lost my chance when badly hampered when the other horse unseated but he's tough and I just held on. I'm only delighted, this is my first winner for five months.” Gray won by a “half head” on the Melbourne-trained Destiny Calls, the fast finishing runner-up Sallum carried the white, stags head, red cap, colours of well known Irish owner Raymond Keogh who has five horses with local trainer John O'Connor at Murray Bridge and is a big supporter of jumps racing in South Australia. Davy Condon finished third on Champion Chestnut, a winner for Paul Townend earlier in the week. Despite the prize money the race didn't make a full field with both Townend and Mark Walsh on the sideline as their declared mounts were scratched. The chase went to 6/4 favourite Last Shogun, ridden by local girl Emily Taylor. The 22 year-old won the “Over The Rainbow “ Series in her first season race riding to earn her place on the home team and beat Mark Walsh on Wheel The Lead by 1 ¼ lengths with Gray fourth and Condon fifth.The saddle slipped right around on Condon's mount Royal Laddie early in the race, the rider making a miraculous recovery. “I just don't know how I stayed on”. Townend on 90/1 rank outsider Five Legs was a faller. Walsh looked a possible when coming up the inner in the straight but the winner just kept pulling out more. There's an awards luncheon for the teams on Sunday and in the afternoon they fly to Melbourne as guests at the annual Jumping Awards Dinner before flying back to Adelaide on Monday. On Tuesday they begin the journey home and will make it in time for Bellewstown on Wednesday.
