Perfect Pracey-Holmes has a Compelling Truth to tell at Rosehill
By Chris Roots
Country hoop Jake Pracey-Holmes will come to Rosehill on Saturday defending a perfect record on the flying Compelling Truth after fending off some of the biggest names in racing to keep the ride.
Compelling Truth comes to town as a seven-time winner from 14 starts. Five of those wins have been from five rides with Pracey-Holmes.
Jake Pracey-Holmes smiles for the camera as Compelling Truth scores an easy win at Dubbo.Credit: Janian McMillan
“He is not the fastest horse I have ridden but he has the most quality, if that makes sense,” Pracey-Holmes said. “When you ask him to go, he sits you back in the saddle with his acceleration, and he can do it off any speed. He is very powerful.
“A couple of boys at Grafton said they thought they would pick him up when we went hard early, but I was never worried because I know what he can do.
“I said to the owners before Grafton that if he got a run in the Ramornie he would be hard to beat, but if he had to run in the Kirby [Stakes], they wouldn’t beat him. And that’s how it worked out.”
After three consecutive wins at Dubbo by a combined margin of 18 lengths, Compelling Truth went to Grafton, winning the time-honoured Kirby during the July carnival by 3¾ lengths in a show of sheer speed.
That win made him a $21 chance for The Kosciuszko, a price that will shorten if he takes care of a quality city field including emerging sprinter Spring Lee over the Rosehill 1100m trip.
The clock tells the story with Compelling Truth, and his ability to roll along in front and then give a big kick had jockey managers calling trainer Mack Griffith about the ride when he came to Sydney.
“The owners have stuck with me, which is good because he is a very good horse, and sometimes they take a city jockey in Sydney,” Pracey-Holmes said. “I think my style suits him, and I know him very well.
“I love coming down there to ride, but this is a bit different because usually I’m on 20-1 shots; Compelling Truth is one of the favourites with good reason.
“I think Bjorn Baker’s horse [Spring Lee] will be hard to beat, but it’s going to be chasing me and it will take a good one to run him down.”
Pracey-Holmes has allowed himself to think about the possibility of riding in The Kosciuszko, but only briefly.
“He just needs to keep doing what he has been doing, but everyone wants to have a ride in The Kosciuszko and he looks like being my best chance of being there,” Pracey-Holmes said. “We will know a lot more after Saturday, and that’s my focus at the moment.”
Sports news, results, and expert commentary. Sign up for our Sport newsletter.