Kah returns to race riding on Saturday with a Group 1 winning chance

The Group 1 Winx Stakes is on Saturday at Randwick, with the race even more interesting given the return of Kah. 

A fall from Flyball at Flemington back in March had put leading jockey Jamie Kah on the shelf for five months. After being cleared by the doctors and riding in some trials recently, she is back in race action at Randwick on Saturday aboard Zaaki.

Horse racing has had more than its share of fairy tales. It is a sport that has always written its own stories of both glory and despair, and on Saturday, it has a chance to add another chapter to a beloved book, that of the career of Jamie Kah.

Flemington in March

It was on a horse called Flyball in a Group 2 on the 11th of March that Kah suffered her fall. Clipped heels at about the 1000m mark saw her mount come down and bring down the ride of Craig Williams, who also sustained injuries in the incident.

Kah was initially cleared of any brain injury, but it quickly became apparent that was not the case. She referred to her brain as mushy on social media, having been heavily sedated for quite sometime after the fall.

It could have been worse, but any time on the sidelines for a jockey with such a highly competitive drive is physically and mentally challenging. It has been a long road for Kah to get back to the point where she can ride again, and having been passed by the doctor, she will be desperate to return with a bang. 

The career so far

Kah has almost 1,200 winners on the board at this point, including nine wins at Group 1 level. It is already a huge story that she has made it back into the saddle in a relatively short time, given the extent of her injuries, but it would be something else if she hit double figures at the top level in the Winx Stakes.

Referred to by Peter Moody as the princess of racing (with Gai Waterhouse as the queen), Kah has made a name for herself in the sport in rapid order. The 27-year-old had her first ride in 2012, becoming just the third female rider to hit the 1000-winner mark in Australia in 2021.

Regarded as the best female jockey in the world, she has ranked as high as 41st in the world rankings, which, given the global talent, is a remarkable achievement. She has had a few controversies, but she is one of the most talented in the saddle to be found anywhere. 

Hopes for Saturday

Annabelle Neasham feels that there is no one else who she would rather have riding Zaaki on Saturday than Kah. The 1400m trip at Randwick has been a happy hunting ground for him, winning the Group 2 Tramway Stakes in 2021 and 2022.

Considered a quirky type when he was in training with Sir Michael Stoute in the UK, he has made a name for himself since coming to Australia, including a Group 1 win under Kah in the TAB Champions Stakes over 2400m last November.

It marks her partner down as one who can produce his best form over a multitude of distances and is hugely versatile with regard to the ground. He has two wins and three seconds in six starts at Randwick with two wins, two seconds and two-thirds from the seven times Kah has ridden him. Put the two together, and he must hold a strong chance of seeing Kah back with a winner. 

Whether Zaaki has read the script or not on Saturday, it will be great to see Kah back in action after missing five months. The pair looked good in a trial last Friday, which should have put both of them spot-on for their Randwick assignment at the weekend.