Kate Walters, the jockey, let tears flow after landing Any Luck her greatest success to date.
Her first ‘Black Type’ win came in Thursday’s Listed Warrnambool Cup (2350m), a milestone since her 2000 career launch.
Trainer Wayne Walters’ daughter partnered with him to share the Warrnambool Cup glory, but as she made her way back to scale, her eyes lifted skyward in memory of fellow jockey.
Walters disclosed post-race that Dean Holland, lost in a Donald race fall over three years ago, was foremost in her thoughts.
“Dean was one of my best friends,” Walter told racing.com.
“I knew him before he had all of the tatts and I’m the one who would get him drunk.
“I miss him all-the-time, especially at this Carnival and I’d do anything to have him back.”
From $41 in betting, Any Luck followed up her Tuesday 2350m benchmark 70 fourth by nipping $4 favourite Alder on the line by a half-head, Tempesti ($8.50) 1-¾ lengths adrift in third.
Walters boasts a perfect record riding the mare Any Luck across all 47 starts, securing eight wins and more than $440,000 in stakes.
“I know her inside and out and I’ve ridden her since she was two,” Walter said.
“I thought her run on Tuesday was huge and she dropped 5-½ kilos today.
“She’s tough as Alder got in front of her and she kicked back.
“I said to Dad that as we had drawn the outside gate, we should go back, but he said don’t go too far back.
“So, it worked out in his favour.”
Though focused on country racing, Walters has neared Black Type before, including with Any Luck’s sire Puccini at Group 3 level in Adelaide.
The trainer Walters pointed out Any Luck’s dam Luckzat’s fourth-place effort in the 2013 Warrnambool Cup.
Lacking full fitness for her Terang fourth two back, Any Luck benefited from shedding weight post-Tuesday, per Walters.
“She knocked up here the other day after pulling it’s brains out and I thought she would be right for Thursday,” Walters said.
“Plus, she carried 59-½ (kilos) on Tuesday and dropped to 54 today.”
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