By Glenn Davis
Co-trainer Trent Edmonds is hopeful apprentice Jackson Murphy can land his first winner since joining the stable when he rides Coolwedge at Gatton on Friday.
Murphy will be legged aboard Coolwedge in the James O’Dwyer Memorial Apprentice Jockey Cup.
The race for Class Three horses will be run over 1600 metres which Edmonds believes will suit the four-year-old mare.
Murphy was one of last season’s leading apprentices when indentured to Chris Anderson.
He was leading the apprentice’s premiership when he suffered a bad fall and injured his hand on the Edmonds-trained Granny Red Shoes at Doomben last December and did not ride for three months.
Murphy has since transferred his indentures to Toby Edmonds but is yet to ride a winner for the Gold Coast trainer.
“He rode a few winners for us last year and he’s only been with us now for about a month, so hopefully his luck will change at Gatton,” Trent Edmonds said.
Edmonds has only Coolwedge engaged at Gatton and will then be off to the Sunshine Coast to saddle up Lunch Session in the QTIS Three-Year-Old Maiden Handicap (1600m).
“Coolwedge should run well from barrier two as her last run when fourth at Lismore was quite good,” he said.
“She drew a bad gate at Lismore and had to get back but she found the line strongly.
“She’s stepping up to 1600 meres for the first time which should suit her.”
Coolwedge was a $47,000 buy as a yearling and has almost repaid her owners with earnings of more than $41,000 from two wins and three placings in 10 starts.
She has an advantage over some of her rivals by winning at Gatton three starts back in August.
Meanwhile Edmonds is hoping a gear change will help Lunch Session break through for his first victory at the Sunshine Coast.
The son of Reward For Effort is coming off a last start fourth in a 1666-metre maiden at Ipswich last month.
“We’ve taken the blinkers off him this time hoping he won’t race as fiercely,” Edmonds said.
“It’s a mile maiden but it’s a strong field with a couple of good horses, including Desleigh Forster’s Couldn’t Refuse.”
Racing Queensland webnews October 3