Jason ‘Stubby’ Holder, fresh from clinching his fourth John Letts Medal, is eager to channel his relentless energy into claiming the Listed W H Wylie Handicap at Morphettville this Saturday.
At 52 years of age, Holder continues to excel at the pinnacle of the riding ranks in South Australia, having recently secured the state’s prestigious stewards-voted award for jockeys for the fourth time, in addition to the metropolitan premiership for the season just concluded.
“I’m very grateful that I’ve been on the right horses and my body is staying well,” Holder commented. “To get acknowledged is amazing and I take pride in my work.”
Trainer Andrew Gluyas plans to saddle three runners in the 1100m Adelaide feature, but Holder has his sights locked on one specific horse, ensuring he will be reunited with Watchme Win.
The jockey-horse combination triumphed in this race last year, with the lead-up to the 2026 edition showing a strong resemblance to the previous year’s campaign.
“He’s a beautiful horse and I love him,” Holder stated. “I was asked which one I wanted to ride and it was a ‘no brainer’ for me. He only got beaten a length-and-a-half in the Goodwood and he should nearly jump favourite for mine as he’d be very hard to beat.”
The six-year-old gelding finished fourth in the Listed Bel Esprit Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield in July 2025 before a spell and a subsequent return for the Wylie Handicap.
His form included a sixth placing in the Group 3 Bletchingly Stakes (1200m) behind Cosmic Crusader on July 25, followed by a convincing jump out win at Morphettville over 800m on August 18.
“Every experience he has had away, he has come back a better horse,” Holder added. “I ride him in most of his trackwork and every time he goes out he puts in 110%. His trial was very good and he’s come back very well and that brought him on quickly so Andrew had to back off him a bit. I’m happy with the way he was going.”
Watchme Win is currently considered a $6.50 chance for the Wylie Handicap, with stablemate Bassett Babe at $5 and Omaha Dawn at $23.
Find the best betting markets for the Wylie Handicap at betting sites.
