A family reunion for the Flemington Win. Daryl McNeil, Jess and Jye with son Oakley, and Michelle McNeil, after Jye’s Group One win aboard the United States’ seven-year-old gelding ‘Homesman’ in the TAB Australia Cup on March 6. (Photo: Reg Ryan/Racing Photos)
By Kendall Jennings
Twenty-six-year-old 2020 Melbourne Cup Winner Jye McNeil won at Cranbourne in the 1400m O’Brien Real Estate Three-Years-Old Maiden Plate upon three-year-old gelding ‘Thomas Hawk’ trained by Tom Dabernig and Ben Hayes, with a margin of 1.2 lengths on the good rated track with a weight of 58 kilograms on March 12.
Jye also had three other rides, Michael Moroney trained ‘Quesadilla’ for a second, Tony and Calvin McEvoy trained ‘Cuban State’ for third, and Ciaron Maher and David Eustace ‘Through Irish Eyes’ for third.
On March 13, Jye rode at The Valley. The highest placing was a fifth on two-year-old colt ‘Montana Flash’ trained by Michael, Wayne and John Hawkes in the second race of the day, the 1600m Powerflo Solutions VOBIS Gold Reef.
March 16, Jye rode the 1,112 metre circuit at Sale, Victoria. Race 2, Mothers Day High Tea 9/5 3YO Fillies Maiden Plate upon New Zealand three-year-old filly ‘Madagascar Miss’ trained by Michael Moroney for second place by two lengths. Jye rode two-year-old gelding ‘Lightfast’ also trained by Michael Moroney in race one for an eighth-place finish.
