Racing: Innes beats Aussie jockeys

Leith Innes. Photo / Sarah Ivey

Doomben Cup win has not tempted top Kiwi hoop to cross the Ditch fulltime.

Leith Innes says, no, he's not looking to establish himself in Australia despite winning Saturday's A$500,000 Doomben Cup and after comments by the Cup-winning trainer Chris Waller.

Innes, on a Queensland working holiday, won the Doomben Cup on Beaten Up, one of Waller's three runners in Saturday's feature.

In a late-week interview Waller said Innes had been engaged for Beaten Up "because he's ridden group one winners in New Zealand this season and he's keen to shine in Australia".

"No, I'm not looking to move over here permanently at this stage," Innes told the Herald from Queensland yesterday.

"I'm getting married in Fiji in late June and I will probably spend a fair bit of time here between now and then. The weather's good and they've got some good golf courses here."

Innes said that like several topline New Zealand jockeys he would always be open to taking rides in major Australian features.

Innes hadn't previously ridden Beaten Up, one of Waller's highly successful European imports of last year.

He said Waller gave him a level of confidence Beaten Up could win, but said it wouldn't be an easy ride.

"Chris said if the horse ran up to his best form he could win, but that he was inclined to want to race too fiercely.

"He said he didn't ideally want me to lead, but if he was in front by default not to panic." Innes called Hugh Bowman, who had ridden the horse at his previous start, and got a tip or two on how possibly to get Beaten Up to settle.

Innes had the horse just behind the speed and sooled him to the leaders early in the home straight. He went strongly to the finish to beat his stablemate and the favourite, Foreteller, ridden by Jim Cassidy.

"In each of his previous three starts in Australia they'd spent the race trying to get him to settle."

Innes believes Beaten Up can improve and Waller indicated he would now spell the import with a possible Cox Plate campaign in mind.

"He' a big, solid unit," said Innes. "He had ear muffs to try and curb his racing manners, but, to his credit, he was very strong to the finish."