Mallyon Keen To Impress At Valley
- Wednesday, 21 July 2010 06:45
Fresh from representing Australia in the Young Guns Challenge in Singapore last weekend, Jordan Mallyon is looking forward to riding Bronislava in Saturday's Travis Harrison Cup at Moonee Valley.
Mallyon, 17, finished out of the money on his three rides at Kranji last Sunday and also picked up a ride from the John Meagher stable at the Friday night meeting.
"I didn't ride horses with the best ability but it didn't take away from the experience. It was unreal, especially for me being my first time overseas," Mallyon said.
"It's a beautiful country."
Mallyon's family is steeped in racing with his mother Lisa Mallyon being a daughter of three-time Caulfield Cup-winning jockey Mick Mallyon while his father Wayne Beer, brother of jockey Les Beer, rode both on the flat and over the jumps.
Mallyon, apprenticed to Mike Moroney at Flemington, has made a good fist of his career riding 70 winners including 16 in town.
Galileo four-year-old mare Bronislava is prepared by Moroney and won over 1400m on a heavy track at Sandown three starts back on May 19.
Last start she led when a solid three-length fifth to Ghostmilk over 1500m, the same trip as Saturday's event, at the Valley on a slow track on July 3.
Mallyon, who hasn't ridden the mare before, will bring her in with 50kg, 3kg below the limit weight after his 3kg allowance is taken in the race for apprentice riders only.
"She's an on-pace horse and with her light weight should run a nice race," Mallyon said.
He will ride the Ray Besanko-trained sprinter Jeteven at the same weight in Saturday's 1200m open handicap.
Mallyon has won twice on Jeteven over 1000m at the Valley but feels he is now better equipped to handle 1200m.
"He loves the Valley and this time in he's settled down a bit and is a bit more relaxed," he said.
"He used to be a real on-speed horse. He still races on the pace but he's just come back that half-length which will help him run out 1200 metres now."
Meanwhile, apprentice Ibriham Gundogdu will face the licensing sub-committee on Thursday in an effort to get his licence back to ride in races again after a year in the wilderness.
A year ago he finished second in the apprentices' premiership in Melbourne to Nick Hall after a close battle.
However the apprentice, who came from Turkey and joined the Mick Kent stable, has had to stand down from riding for the current season as he was unable to secure permanent residency in Australia.
Kent said Gundogdu may have to wait until the full licensing committee meets on August 5 before he is relicensed.
However he is trying to bring the process forward so that Gundogdu can ride Clandon in the Travis Harrison Cup.
"There aren't many apprentices around and I'd like him to ride her," Kent said.
Gundogdu has won six races aboard Clandon including the Northerly Cup (1500m) at the corresponding Moonee Valley meeting last year.
Picture: Colin Bull
