$151 Flemington bolter Taylor-made
He’s been in Melbourne just a week, his father won a Melbourne Cup, he didn’t ride a horse until age 19.
But on Saturday Taylor Marshall proved one of Flemington’s great quaddie crushers with a 10/10 ride on first day at headquarters.
Marshall, 24, son of 1999 Cup-winning jockey John Marshall, surged up the inside on $151 shot Nozomi to win The Rails Handicap.
Those who included Nozomi in their quaddie — and also had 12, 4 and 9 in the other three legs, landed $67,516.90 on the Victorian tote for $1.
The Lee and Anthony Freedman-trained Nozomi became just the ninth horse in the past decade to win at Flemington at $101 or longer.
The last $151 winner was Berlioz in a 1700m race in 2010.
Marshall was formerly apprenticed to Michael Freedman in Sydney, but he is now in Hong Kong and Marshall is in the first week of a three-month loan to Danny O’Brien.
Marshall said it had been a “really, really great first week” after a win at Warrnambool late last week.
He said he was not put off by Nozomi’s long odds.
The horse carried the No. 1 saddlecloth and the Jockey Celebration Day silks.
“You’re always hopeful and ride each horse to their merits, ride them to win,” he said.
“I know Mr Freedman is a great trainer and had the horse ready and well first-up. It was a great training effort.
“He came back under me and travelled kindly. He gave me a lovely feel in the run.
“When the field fanned I was able to take short cuts and the horse relished to the line.”
Marshall said a love of soccer delayed his riding career.
“I literally rode my first horse when I was 19,” he said.
“I originally hoped to make a career in soccer, but that didn’t work out.”
Story by Herald Sun's Matt Stewart
Pic by Racing Photos
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