Isabella Off to a Flying Townsville Start with Winning Double

Brisbane apprentice Isabella Teh started a three-month stint in Townsville in the best possible way with a dashing winning double at Cluden Park yesterday.

The 26-year-old wasted no time making herself at home with wins on the Les Gordy-trained pair Double Denman and Hallside Hammer.

Teh will join the Sarah Acornley stable this week on loan from Eagle Farm trainer Danny Bougoure and couldn’t have been happier with her auspicious start.

“It’s a nice way to get things going and I’m really looking forward to my time here. It’s for three months with Sarah and I’ll give it a good, hard crack while I’m here,” Teh said.

“I’ll be moving up with my partner and a couple of fur babies and come Monday I’ll be over here riding work.

“I’m about half way through my apprenticeship and I was riding track work on and off before that.

“I ride at 49kg so extremely light and hopefully I can make the most of my opportunities while I’m here.

“I’m from a big racing family, right into motor sport and horses. I always rode equestrian when I was younger and I thought I might as well give race riding a go.”

Teh’s 3kg claim and heady front running ride proved decisive in Double Denman’s fighting win over Zeppelin in the Ladies Day July 30 B60 Hcp (1609m).

Double Denman (51kg) set a strong tempo in front and, with a whopping 14kg pull in the weights, rallied again after being headed to beat Zeppelin (65kg) by a long head.

Teh again made the play from the very start on Hallside Hammer who led throughout to win the very next race, the Mitavite 3YO Hcp (1000m) to bring up a Gordy double.

Later on the card, premier trainer Roy Chillemi edged to a one-win lead in the trainers’ premiership when a rejuvenated Tennessee Boy finished best in the Vale Bill Coughlan Open Hcp (1400m).

Stable jockey Stephen Wilson gave Tennessee Boy a cosy run on the fence before finishing resolutely to beat Monsieur Macron by a short neck.

The win was Tennessee Boy’s first Cluden victory since scoring as a two-year-old almost 22 months ago and gave Chillemi his 16th winner for the season – just one ahead of Sharlee Hoffman.

Highly impressive gelding Prime Ruler continued to stamp himself as carnival material with a slashing win over Family Star in the Townsville Cup August 6 Cl6 Hcp (1200m).

Trained in Cairns by Fred Wieland, Prime Ruler has risen sharply through the classes with six wins from nine starts.

Pictured: Apprentice Isabella Teh and trainer Les Gordy with Double Denman after landing the first leg of winning double.

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