Juglall moves up to Top 5 with treble

A treble on Sunday - his first for the season - has seen jockey Nooresh Juglall climp four steps up the premiership ladder to be fifth on 11 winners, only six behind leader Vlad Duric.

Duric, the reigning champion, drew a blank from nine rides, while Juglall was a busy man with a full book in the 11-race programme.

Juglall sat in ninth spot going into the meeting and he certainlyhad to earn every cent of his riding fee to bring home his first treble of the season.

Records will show that it was Aeolus, Mystic Pride - in lowly Class 5 and Maiden events respectively - and Charger who provided the Mauritian jockey with the prolific haul.

But it was more the workmanlike but effective way in showing how he knew where the winning post was that would draw the most nods of approval.

In Sunday's opener, the $20,000 Class 5 race over 1,400m, the Kuah Cheng Tee-trained Aeolus came with a well-timed run under Juglall's hard-riding to finally break his duck.

The $44 chance had found one better three times in a row at his last four runs. It was the gelding's first success from 21 starts.

Aboard $15 favourite Mystic Pride in the $20,000 Maiden race over 1,400m, Juglall had the Daniel Meagher-trained son of Magic Albert poised to strike at the 400m mark.

His mount was inclined to duck in and he had to switch his whip to his left hand to ensure Dragonite (Olivier Placais) did not run away from them.

But the pick of his rides would probably be Charger, whose last-gasp victory came in the $80,000 Class 3 race over 1,200m.

Juglall, who managed to steer the Dick Turpin colt to his second win last time out, was in a real pickle for most of the backstraight when the colt was seen pulling like a train between runners.

Race-leader Tales Of Summer, with replacement jockey Zy Nor Azman astride, was giving plenty of sight in the home straight.

THUNDERING HOME

But most thought his days were numbered when leading hopes Mr Hanks (Duric) and Webster (Alan Munro) came thundering home.

Against the rails, Tales Of Summer was, however, sticking to his guns and looking well bent on not being passed. Both Mr Hanks and Webster were going at full throttle, but just could not quite peg the tenacious leader back.

Just when Tales Of Summer looked to have all angles covered, $35 shot Charger sprang out of the pack, poking his head right on the line to deny him by the barest of margins.

The winning time was a quick 1min 09.67sec.

"I thought he would lose today. He was pulling my arms off down the backstraight," said Juglall.

"He's a difficult horse to ride and, down the backstraight, I really thought he was gone.

"It took me a good 500 metres to switch him off. I wanted to get him off the bridle as I thought he would then just come back for me better.

"He's obviously still a bit of a colt, but he has a big heart. He should have won more easily if he didn't pull so hard.

"A big thank you to the connections. They did all the hard work, I am just the pilot."

By coincidence, the last time Juglall scored three winners, on Jan 29 last year, it took another Constance Cheng's Toast Trust Stable galloper to also get the result by the skin of his teeth - Constance's Spirit who came late onto the scene to beat Ahmar by a short head.

"I was not aware of that. Well, I hope Constance can give me more trebles," said a beaming Juglall.

Trainer Theo Kieser's assistant trainer Stephen Crutchley said Charger will go for the SIngapore Three-Year-Old Challenge series.

The Australian-bred has now racked up three wins and three placings from nine starts for about $210,000 in stakes for Toast Trusts & J Ho Stable.