Double Day for Chelsea

Popular jockey Chelsea Jokic returned to the scene of her greatest triumph in the saddle to record a career highlight as a trainer at Cluden Park on Friday.

Jokic, who won the 2018 Townsville Cup on Lady Skills, landed her first winning double as a trainer, and, on a day to remember, scored two wins in the saddle just for good measure.

The 27-year-old rode her maiden performer Inclusion to victory, before handing over the reins to top jockey Justin Stanley to land her second winner, Tierra Del Fuego.

To cap the day she also booted home Castile for Wulguru trainer Matthew McGuire.

Jokic, who rode in Townsville for five years before relocating with her family to Beaudesert almost two years ago, is back in the north with a team of four horses for a short campaign and was thrilled with the result.

“Today was actually my first training double. I thought last week would be a better day but the rain came and brought a couple of them unstuck,” Jokic said.

“The plan was to come up for six weeks, and that was three weeks ago. I’m staying in Lindsay Hatch’s stables (Wulguru) until he comes back in another three weeks but I’ll see how it goes and might stay a bit longer if I can find somewhere else.

“With my riding I seem to get more rides up here and it’s easier for the horses up here than down south.

“I still fly up to Mackay but it is hard with the cost of flights and getting enough rides.

“It’s a bit easier to get a few rides while I’m here so I’ll try and pick up what I can.”

Jokic said the double with her stable horses was partly due to a drop in class but still a surprise.

The booking of Justin Stanley for Tierra Del Fuego was the key to his win in the Cluden Park 0-55 Hcp (1200m).

“He just doesn’t go for me. I’ve ridden him twice and he’s done absolutely nothing. Put Justin on today and he rode him perfectly,” Jokic said.

“He’s been a handy horse but he’s had a few issues and it’s taken a while to get him right. His last start the run wasn’t ideal and he wasn’t fit enough, but he was down in grade today and it suited him.

“I didn’t really expect it but I know he’s got the ability and once he loomed up he really let down.”

Inclusion, having his 25th start, was suited with a hot pace and stormed home from near last to claim a last stride win over the hot favourite Show And Go in the Hygain QTIS Mdn Hcp (1000m).

Stanley finished with a winning double of his own after scoring on Campione in the Carlton & United Breweries Mdn Plate (1609m).

Pictured: Chelsea Jokic returns to scale after winning the Hygain QTIS Maiden Handicap (1000m) on Inclusion.

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