Jamie Melham delivered an emotional win when she steered Another Wil to victory Feb. 8 in the 1,400-meter (approx. 7 furlongs) C.F. Orr Stakes (G1) at Caulfield Racecourse, a few days after what would have been the gelding’s late breeder and owner, Col McKenna’s birthday.
Melham, who recently married fellow jockey Ben Melham, guided the 5-year-old Street Boss gelding to his first elite-level win and sported the famous green and blue colors of McKenna, who died from a brain tumor last year.
“I’ve thought about this day, I dreamed about it the last few days, and it’s amazing that things like this happen in racing,” Melham said. “There’s a God in racing…this horse has deserved it for so many starts, but to do it for Col after his birthday on Tuesday is just amazing. I know he’s watching down on us and Another Wil lifted for his dad. That was amazing.”
Trainer Ciaron Maher said he had resisted the temptation to take the lightly raced Another Wil to the highest level too soon, instead opting to give the gelding time to mature, but now hopes he can go on to achieve more group 1 success over the autumn and beyond.
“I’m thrilled and hopefully over the next 12 months, couple of years, he can really go on with it,” Maher said. “He’ll just go through the weight-for-age path. We’ll see what sort of weight he gets up in Sydney as to the big mile races up there, but we’ll celebrate this one and he’s got plenty of options now. The All-Star Mile seems like a natural progression for him, and he’s got good form at Flemington as well, so the All-Star seems fitting.
On the emotional victory, Maher said: “It’s beautiful. I think it’s the first one that Col and Janice (McKenna) bred, so to win a group 1 is very, very special.
“Colin always loved this horse in particular. I’ve resisted the temptation to take him to that top level because he’s needed time to mature and Col was always very patient and it’s probably not fitting that he can’t be here.
“He just would have been so thrilled, but I’m pretty proud and he’s just such a great mentor and friend and supporter. It’s just beautiful.
“It’s great for Janice and all his friends and family. He always included everyone and a lot of them are in the horse and Jamie, she was very close to him as well. They were big supporters of hers through tough times, so it’s phenomenal.”
The All-Star Mile (G1) at Flemington March 8, and the Futurity Stakes (G1) back at Caulfield Feb. 22 shape as the next possible target for Another Wil.
