Joburg born thirteen times Hong Kong champion jockey Douglas Whyte turned 45 last Tuesday and gave himself a belated birthday present when scoring his second Australian Gr1 win at Ascot on Saturday.
Douglas Whyte (photo: HKJC)
Whyte continued his love affair with Perth racing when he steered Scales Of Justice to an end to end win in the $1 million Railway Stakes.
The ‘Durban Demon’ as he was known in his SA riding days, got the call-up to ride the Lindsey Smith-trained gelding when Paul Harvey was suspended after Scales Of Justice won the G3 R J Peters Stakes on November 12.
Whyte rode a perfectly judged race to beat last year’s winner, the Chris Waller-trained Good Project with the favourite Perfect Reflection third.
It was the second Australian Gr1 win for Whyte and both victories have been in Perth.
He rode the Waller-trained Moriarty to take out the 2014 Kingston Town Stakes at Ascot.
“It’s good to get another Group One in Western Australia,” Whyte said.
“Lindsey gave me confidence and said if nothing else wants to lead, you lead. When I turned for home and pressed the button he had a whole lot of engine there.”
Scales Of Justice could go for the $1 million Kingston Town Classic over 1800m at Ascot in two weeks.
“We got Douglas down here and he showed why he’s been champion jockey in Hong Kong so many times,” said trainer Lindsey Smith.
