Racing: Comeback king keeps living the dream

Stathi Katsidis can't help thinking it's all a big dream after continuing his remarkable comeback with another feature win on Victorian mare Jacqueline Rouge in the listed Tattersall's Mile at Eagle Farm yesterday.

Katsidis made his riding comeback on Queensland Cup day at Eagle Farm last month following more than a year sidelined by injuries and a drug-related ban.

The 30-year-old's win was his eighth in as many days. It started last Saturday when he won the listed Toowoomba Cup (2100m) on Jussemi.

On Thursday Katsidis scored a double, including the Grafton Cup on Kiwi stayer Castle Heights, before riding a treble at Caloundra on Friday.

Jacqueline Rouge's victory was his second at Eagle Farm yesterday following his victory on Deacon in the Hardy Brothers Jewellery Handicap (2200m).

"I can't believe it. I've got to pinch myself as I still think it's a dream," Katsidis said.

Katsidis literally pinched the race on Jacqueline Rouge after deciding to take the rising 6-year-old to the lead after she landed in front when the field jumped.

Trainer Tony Noonan o was in Darwin to saddle up Chosen One in the Northern Territory Derby (2000m).

"Tony thought it would be better if we could take a sit on the outside but the way the track was playing I decided to lead," Katsidis said.

Jacqueline Rouge broke through for her sixth victory by downing stablemate Ab Almalik by 1 lengths with Crossthestart a further short neck away third.

Al Almalik's rider Scott Galloway blamed a lack of solid racing for the five 5-year-old's defeat.

"It was a good run but he was only second-up and it told in the end," Galloway said. "I thought I was going to get the leader 100m out but he knocked up in the last 50m. The winner was lucky she had an easy lead."

Noonan's foreman Mick Robins was not sure what was on the cards for Jacqueline's Rouge after the stable wrapped up its winter carnival campaign, but she would likely be bred.

"I think the owners will get her in foal and then race her for a while yet."

- AAP