By Lachlan Mitchell
He may have lost six kilos to make the weight…but Cranbourne jockey Ben Allen had never been hungrier for Group-1 success when he was legged aboard Marabi in the $750,000 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) at Caulfield in late February.
Marabi, trained by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace at Cranbourne, is now unbeaten from seven starts after giving the 22-year-old Allen the biggest victory of his career, holding off Away Game and Oxley Road in the classic contest for sprinters.
“It still feels pretty surreal, it was more of a relief on the day crossing the line more than anything else,“ Allen said.
“The hard work that was involved in getting down to that weight, for it to actually pay off is amazing.“
Allen enlisted the help of jockey-trainer Ron Johnson to lose six-kilos to ride the mare with the young jockey needing to get down to 54-kilos to secure the ride.
“Because I’m quite tall my weight fluctuates a little bit, I would have been close to 60kgs,“ Allen said.
“It was all about getting the diet right, just sticking to fruit and vegetables and training morning and night.
“For the last week I cut out most of the fruit and just stuck to grain. So just brown rice,, corn, and just a little bit of vegetables at night-time.“
Marabi was the favourite leading into the race, but Allen knew he wouldn’t have the race his own way.
“I knew there were going to be horses who were going to take us on early, that what happens in an Oakleigh Plate, it’s quiet a fast-run race,“ he said.
“She’s a pretty adaptable horse, she got great gate speed and I was able to jump well and move into the one off-the-rail spot, where I didn’t have to worry about getting boxed in.
“Once I got across from there it kind of worked out really well. I was happy to put the pressure on early because she has a great gallop.”
Marabi’s last win under the guidance of Allen came in the Group-2 Australia Stakes (1200m) earlier in the year.
“The Australia Stakes, I probably got it a bit easier in front, at 1200 metres she gets there at lot easier than the shorter distances,“ he said.
“The horse’s ability to find the line, and it’s finishing kick, is so exciting and the way she pins the ears back and really has a crack.”
Allen is optimistic that with his first group one under his belt he will hopefully get more rides in the future.
“Hopefully it gets me some more opportunities but in Melbourne there is still a jockey’s room full with a lot of experience,” he said.
Allen and Marabi will next be targeting the William Reid Stakes at Mooney Valley on the Friday 25 March.
