There’s no way of knowing the volume of betting generated by Australia’s omen punters on any given Saturday afternoon. All over the nation the little bettors are attracted to horses whose names have a connection with someone in the family, horses whose racing silks happen to feature their favourite colour, or a million and one other reasons best known to themselves. Most horses selected under these criteria are usually at double figure odds.
Looks Like Elvis would have attracted an army of omen players when he lined up in Saturday’s Winter Championship Heat at Flemington. To hell with weights, barrier draws, and track conditions. Far more important is the fact that the race coincided with the Gold Coast premiere of Baz Luhrmann’s blockbuster new move “Elvis” due for Australia wide release on June 23rd. Another important form pointer was the recent Elvis Festival which brought 20,000 visitors to the western NSW town of Parkes. For one frightening moment none of this scientific data mattered a hoot, when Looks Like Elvis “bombed” the start and came out of the gates a clear last.
Aspiring young jockeys everywhere should use the ride by Linda Meech as their benchmark when dealing with a slow start.
The composure that contributed to her Victorian jockeys premiership win in 2018/2019, has never been more evident. When Looks Like Elvis “walked” out of the gates, she dropped over his neck and considered her options. She was tempted to follow Mystic Shot when that horse got going four wide at the 600m, but quickly changed her mind. Linda opted to go through the middle, rather than go sideways to get to the extreme outside. That decision won her the race. Looks Like Elvis was held up momentarily on straightening up, but soon after the gaps started to appear. Gathering momentum with every stride, the seven year old flashed through on the inside of It’sourtime and Cherry Tortoni to snatch victory.
Linda Meech secured a lucky run through the field to win at Flemington on Saturday. It'sourtime and Cherry Tortoni filled the placings - courtesy Racing Photos.
The seven year old seemed to enjoy charging through the gaps, reminiscent of the racing style of former champion Rough Habit who won 29 races and almost $4 million dollars. Jim Cassidy who won 11 races on the remarkable horse, often commented that the gelding went faster the more he had to duck and dive between horses. It’s remotely possible that Linda Meech has stumbled upon the best way to ride the veteran of 55 race starts. Luck won’t always come his way, but when it does there’s a lethal sprint waiting to be unleashed.
Warwick Farm horseman Jarrod Austin is one of several Sydney trainers to be driven south by Sydney’s endless run of heavy tracks. “He’d won a race at Pakenham at the end of 2020, so we knew the reverse way of going wasn’t a problem,” said Jarrod. “The likelihood of a Soft 5 or Soft 6 was a better option than a Heavy 9 or 10 at home, so off we went to Flemington. Linda said he was in a bit of a mood in the gates which explains his tardy start. He can get that way from time to time. Her ride from the 800m was exceptional. Funny how you can reinvent a horse late in his career.”
A happy group after Saturday's win. On Jarrod's left are daughters Aleesha and Jessica. On extreme left is James Critchley, major part owner of Looks Like Elvis - courtesy Racing Photos.
An interstate move by one of Looks Like Elvis’ seven owners brought the gelding into Jarrod Austin’s Warwick Farm stables. “James Critchley who is the major shareholder in the horse, made the decision to relocate from Brisbane to Sydney almost two years ago,” said Jarrod. “He brought Looks Like Elvis with him and very kindly asked me to be his trainer. Full marks to his previous trainer Bryan Dais who’d won eight races with him and placed in a couple of Brisbane stakes races.”
The son of All American has been in pretty tough grade ever since arriving in Sydney. He’s won two races in Victoria, and has five placings on his CV - three of them in stakes races. Perhaps his best run was a cracking fifth in the 2020 Epsom Hcp only 1.6 lengths from the quality mare Probabeel. “He’s sound, eats everything you put in front of him and is very pleasant to deal with,” says Jarrod. “As evidenced on Saturday he can get a little cantankerous when the adrenaline starts to flow but we’ve got to deal with it.”
Jarrod elected to take Looks Like Elvis to Melbourne when there was no end in sight to Sydney's wet tracks - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
After a few years of moderate training success from bases at Kempsey and Wyong, Jarrod Austin decided to walk away from racing in the mid 1990’s. “I’d been around horses all my life and needed to see if there was another world out there,” he said. “I managed a couple of pubs and even worked in the building trade for a while but found I couldn’t get the horses out of my system.”
This was when Denise McGrath came into Jarrod’s life. Denise had come across a few thoroughbreds during her involvement in the showjumping business, and quickly fell in love with the breed. She came into racing as a casual owner but soon aspired to becoming a trainer in her own right. Denise and her husband acquired stables at Warwick Farm, and at the same time established a spelling and pre training property at The Oaks near Camden. “It was the classic case of being in the right place at the right time,” says Jarrod. “I ran the property for Denise for six years, working with thoroughbreds the whole time.”
“That lady did a tremendous job winning races with all sorts of horses including a brilliant sprinter called Keen Commander. She won 8 races and ran 13 placings with that horse for close to $700,000. Keen Commander won a couple of stakes races, a Magic Millions Sprint and got beaten half a head by Typhoon Zed in the Galaxy. Denise decided to relinquish her licence in 2011, and this was my cue to make a decision about my future.”
Jarrod took over the McGrath stables at Warwick Farm and a handful of horses Denise had been training at the time of her departure. Yonderstar gave him a first up win on the comeback trail in an 1800m race on the Kenso track with Shaun Guymer in the saddle. Another “gift” from his former boss was Spinnawitch with whom Jarrod won a stakes race at Warwick Farm with Blake Shinn in the saddle. Denise also gave him a promising youngster to train called Urquidez with whom he won a 2YO event at Warwick Farm before posting placings in The Rosebud and the Royal Sovereign Stakes. Urquidez was later sold to Hong Kong where he won only one race under the name Imperial Champion.
For the last eight years Jarrod has rarely had more than seventeen horses in work, but has maintained a steady strike rate. Horses to pay their way include Inanup (8 wins with 5 in town) Tresse D’Or, Austreet, Havelka, Territory (4 city wins), Appetizing, Lady Kirkham, Raijinz, and Miss Antares. Stable favourites Carluca and Hirokin won 19 races between them. “With limited spending power at the yearling sales you’ve got to do the best you can with what you’ve got,” says the trainer.
Jarrod won 8 races with Inanup including this one at Rosehill in July 2020. Nash Rawiller in the saddle - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
Jarrod now has access to a few extra boxes and has been able to stretch his numbers to twenty two horses. He has the services of two excellent work riders in James Jarrett and Mohammed Afftab while Amber Haren and Katherine Adams do a sterling job on the ground. Amanda Darvill’s contribution behind the scenes as office manager is invaluable.
Jarrod is undecided about the immediate future of Looks Like Elvis. With the Winter Championship Series Final still one month away, the gelding will need another run. The options are another heat in Melbourne in a fortnight, or the listed Civic Stakes at Randwick in three weeks time. “The Civic might be a little too close to the Championship Final,” says the trainer. “The horse arrived home on Monday morning and looks a treat. We’ll consider our options over the next ten days or so.”
You can bet many omen punters who savoured the $15.00 about Looks Like Elvis at Flemington played up a little of their winnings on a pacer called Rockin With Elvis at Menangle a few hours later. The Brad Hewitt trained five year old beat all but Ultimate Hughey in the fifth event on a mammoth ten race card. It beggars belief that Elvis Presley would still have such a presence on the other side of the world forty five years after his premature passing.
It wasn't Look Like Elvis' first trip to Melbourne. Here he is winning the Gold Bullion at Pakenham 04/12/2021. Brett Prebble was the rider - courtesy Racing Photos.
(Banner image - Looks Like Elvis bursts through a gap to win Saturday's Winter Championship heat at Flemington - courtesy Racing Photos.)