Leading Victorian jockey Linda Meech makes a rare “homecoming” appearance at Eagle Farm with two key rides.
She will ride Amish Boy in Saturday’s Group Three B J McLachlan Stakes and Epic Girl in the Listed Nudgee Quality.
Meech grew up in New Zealand but did her early apprenticeship in Brisbane during the late 1990s when she first linked with now-retired trainer Peter Moody.
She later moved to NSW and rode many winners on the provincial circuit before making Victoria her home.
Meech again linked with Moody and was a valued track rider and his No.1 jockey outside of the metropolitan area.
Since Moody’s retirement, Meech has become a mainstay of the Ciaron Maher/David Eustace stable and was Victoria’s leading rider last season.
Amish Boy is trained by the Maher/Eustace partnership and needs a good performance in the McLachlan to make the field for the $2 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic on January 11 at the Gold Coast.
Trainer Chris Anderson was looking for a replacement jockey for Epic Girl, a strong last-start winner under Stephanie Thornton who sticks with Sugar Boom in the Nudgee.
He was quick to snap Meech up when he heard she would be in town.
“Peter Moody has always rated her among the best he has seen and that is good enough for me,” Anderson said.