Heading to the winners enclosure aboard the Paul Kramer trained Cavallo Reigns at Pakenham on Sunday. 75291
The Cranbourne based youngster followed up a recent treble at Drouin with an impressive come from behind performance aboard the five-year-old gelding after pre-race plans went awry.
Douglas set his mount alight rounding for home and strode clear in the straight defeating Casablanca by three lengths with La Rouge back in third place.
Douglas celebrates his 17th birthday on Thursday and enjoyed the early birthday present.
“He was a bit better than those today, he had a good run in transit and kicked off the corner well,” Douglas said. “I followed Andrew Gauci’s mount (Out of Dubai) but he fell back in my lap so I tacked onto Adam Bodey (La Rogue) and he took me into the race. We peeled off his back and he won well.”
Douglas only had his first race start in April last year and has his sights set on the next in-take of apprentices in June this year.
It’s exciting times for Douglas but he said it won’t be the end of the world if things don’t pan out perfectly.
“If my weight’s right I’ll have a go but if not I’ll stay at the picnics,” he said. “I’m riding at 54 kilograms at the moment but it’s all natural weight. I’ll probably get lighter and lose a couple of kilos, which would be good.”
Douglas started his involvement at the stables of Pat and Michael Trotter as a 12-year-old. He rode the Trotter pony at that time and has been with the father-son team ever since. Learning from the likes of Pat, who was a multiple Group One winning jockey has been a major plus for the emerging hoop.
“I’ve learnt heaps off Michael and Pat Trotter for sure. They’ve both helped me heaps in so many ways,” he said.
And how has he found his first eight months in the saddle?
“I just love it,” he said with a grin from ear to ear. – David Nagel
