The old jockey proverb of having a saddle means you’ll travel doesn’t resonate with South Australia’s Garret Lynch, whose creed is ‘have horse float, will travel’.
Lynch notches thousands of kilometres each year roaming South Australia from Murray Bridge and commands the trainers’ ladder with 65 successes, leading Phillip Stokes by 21.
His wins span metropolitan city tracks, 35 provincials and 27 at outback locales including Ceduna, Roxby Downs, Quorn, Penong, Lock and Pooncarie.
“I place them where they can win and if that means if it’s 10 or 11 hours away, I’ll head off,” Lynch said.
This Saturday marks new territory for Lynch at Flemington in the Listed Andrew Ramsden (2800m) with Alainge, his premier runner, seeking a Melbourne Cup (3200m) berth in November.
Flemington’s last Lynch runner was Callmedan, seventh in the 2014 Bagot Handicap.
Alainge handed Lynch his top triumph over 15 training years via the Listed Port Adelaide Cup victory at Morphettville on May 2.
Thoughts of Saturday emerged after Alainge’s fifth in the March Adelaide Cup (3200m) at Morphettville.
“She ran a really good race in the Adelaide Cup and was just way too far back and finished off really strongly,” Lynch said.
“After getting the two miles for the first time, I thought we’d head down this direction and try and qualify for the Melbourne Cup.
“Ask any trainer, and their aim is to win the Melbourne Cup, and I’m no different.”
Lynch has had only two Flemington runners previously, deeming Alainge his best shot ‘by far’.
“My early training career, I was only 23 or 24 when I had my other Flemington runners,” Lynch said.
“My last runner was seventh in the Bagot.
“Back then I was based at Murray Bridge but every summer I would base myself at Cranbourne for three or four months and I did that for about four years then.”
Aboard Alainge Saturday is Harry Grace, ex-apprentice to late Robbie Laing, Lynch’s Melbourne host.
Lynch convinced Grace, who steered Alainge in the Port Adelaide Cup, to base in South Australia.
“I’m the one that convinced him to come over, so I’ll stay loyal to him,” Lynch said.
“He’ll ride her over there on Saturday and then we’ll head to the Sandown Cup after the Ramsden, and he’ll ride her there as well.
“He hasn’t got a base yet, but he’ll float around between Murray Bridge and Morphettville and try an establish himself over here.”
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