Irish jockey hunts career-best win for early boost to Aussie ambition

After a sit down with his boss and mentor, champion English trainer William Haggas, Irish jockey Adam Farragher decided it was time to give Australia a crack.

Like Ash Morgan and Tom Sherry, who have given Farragher advice, he has come from the UK searching for opportunities.

Adam Farragher rides Power Fizz to victory at Ascot on May 9 this year.Credit: Getty Images

Farragher never thought, though, that he would be riding a Caulfield Cup winner in a $1 million race just a few weeks into a career move he hopes to make permanent.

He has the job on Duke De Sessa ($19), which resumes in The Gong (1600m) on Saturday at Kembla Grange. It is one of four rides Farragher has for top trainer Ciaron Maher, who has given the 25-year-old a start with the NSW arm of his operation.

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He has been in Australia for almost three months but had to wait until October 25 for his first race ride while his licence was cleared. He is yet to taste success in 16 attempts and makes his city debut on Saturday hoping to score a career-best win to kick-start his ambitions.

“I’ve had a couple of big handicap wins [in the UK], but none in stakes races,” Farragher said.

“I’ve probably competed in a few decent money races at home, but probably all on outsiders. A big win on Saturday would be a nice way to get the ball rolling.

“Even to trial the likes of Duke De Sessa was quite good. I certainly wasn’t expecting to throw the leg over it on race day, so it’s a privilege.

“When I trialled him at Randwick, you couldn’t have asked him to do any more. He felt good, he travelled strong. He’s obviously a horse who’s better over a trip, but he picked up and went through the line very strongly.

“I think the race will be run to suit him. We’ll get a decent pace to aim at. It’s a good starting place for him.”

Adam Farragher.Credit: Getty Images

Maher has a strong hand in the Gong, which he aims to win for a third consecutive time. Defending champion Gringotts ($2.10) and Victoria Road ($61) are his other hopes.

Farragher also rides Spywire (race three), Vienna Vixen (four) and Raf Attack (nine) for Maher. He has ridden all in trials.

“Duke De Sessa, it’s the class horse on the day for me, but I do think Spywire, on the way he’s been trialling, he could go very close,” he said.

Farragher has had an Australian move in his thoughts since he came to Sydney two years ago as part of the Haggas team. That was during an almost five-year stint with Haggas after coming from Ireland.

“When I came here that time, it opened my eyes to how healthy the racing was down here, maybe slightly in comparison to back home in the UK,” he said.

“Definitely the whole lifestyle, the life-work balance was a lot different. Things were going OK in England, I’d done all right. This year was a little bit quiet, but I had said to myself that if the timing was right and the opportunity was there, I’d love to go and experience it.

“William was actually a big influence in making the decision. We spoke about it one morning in his kitchen. He said I think it would really be worth going and exploring it and see what happens.

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