FOLLOW MARK DU PLESSIS

By Graham Potter | Wednesday, October 18, 2023

FOLLOW MARK DU PLESSIS

Time To Testify’s steady rise in distance over his three starts since resuming after a four month break from race action was one of the contributing factors, along with being reunited with jockey Mark Du Plessis, which helped the son of Spill The Beans claim his second career win over 1700m in a Band 0-65 Handicap at Ipswich on October 18.

Du Plessis had ridden the Shaun Dwyer trained five-year-old in his Maiden win (also at Ipswich but over 1350m) back in April, but he was last on the horse three runs back and all of Du Plessis’s expertise came to the fore in a driving finish as Time To Testify, an $11 chance, held out another fast finisher Bella Tavici ($10) to score by a 0.20 lengths margin.

The $11 staring price was posted on the basis that Time To Testify was always well back and certainly did not set any alarm bells ringing in his previous two starts, but the climb in distance (a fair jump from 1350m to 1700m) and an improved level of fitness meant the $11 was probably generous odds.

Time To Testify, who only got into the race as an emergency acceptor, landed in the leading line, but as the early speed went on, Du Plessis was happy to let him find his own comfortable rhythm as Time To Testify settled in fifth place, three wide, going down the back stretch, racing some four lengths off the leader. Read more ...

TIME TO TESTIFY GETS THE VERDICT (OCTOBER 18)

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Eagle Farm … October 14 … and not a bad day’s work for jockey Mark Du Plessis.

Being linked with a Les Ross / Mishani two-year-old is always going to have its advantages, but, even there, as is so often the case in these early two-year-old races, you will come up with several other jockeys in the same position … as it was in the QTIS Two-Year-Old Handicap over 1000m on the day … a race in with Les Ross saddled no less than six of the nine runners, all of whom raced under the Mishani banner.

Mishani Rock, who had won the first two-year-old race of the season at Toowoomba (the Pat O’Shea Plate) was the best fancied of the Ross trained runners as the second favourite at $2.90, behind the Chris Munce trained Boomroux, who topped the betting boards at $2.20, while Du Plessis took Mishani Suspect out onto the track as a $12 chance.

Du Plessis has made a habit of winning on double figure odds chances and this race provided yet another example of that.

Du Plessis made certain of the fact that Mishani Suspect would enjoy the benefit of the number one barrier draw, but Mishani Suspect did have to work to earn the lead after being pushed out by Du Plessis in the early part. Read more ...

A METROPOLITAN DOUBLE FOR MARK DU PLESSIS (OCTOBER 14)

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A ride for champion trainer Chris Waller is invariably a good ride. A winning ride for Chris Waller is invariably a good result for the jockey in terms of opening up future riding opportunities for the stable … so you can score one for jockey Mark du Plessis with his success on the Waller trained Admonish in a BM65 Handicap over 1200m at Ipswich on October 11.

This win meant that Admonish remained unbeaten in two starts, having won on debut, over the same track and distance, back in May.

That debut win came after no less than four official trials from December 29, 2022 to May 8, 2023. The daughter of Astern was then given a further five months away from race action before coming out for this, her second career start … so, clearly, she has been very much a work in progress.

But that work … and the patience involved in the process … is paying dividends.

Admonish, who came into the race as an emergency acceptor, but as the second favourite at $4.80 with Du Plessis riding her for the first time, went back to second last in the ten horse field shortly after the start. Read more ...

ADMONISH MAKES IT TWO FROM FROM TWO (OCTOBER 11)

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With a record of first, second, second, first from her last four runs, the Stewart and Taylah MacKinnon trained, six-year-old mare Contribute is the kind of horse any trainer would like to have in their stable.

The daughter of Contributer has, in fact, only had six starts for the MacKinnon stable during which time she has doubled her number of wins to four from seventeen career starts, having previous raced to similar good effect for Robbie Patterson for whom she finished in the first three places in eleven outings, eight of which were in New Zealand.

In Contribute’s latest win, in a Class 3 Handicap over 1820m at Eagle Farm on September 30, Mark Du Plessis took the ride for the first time in what would prove to be a first success in town in Australia for both Contribute and the MacKinnon training partnership.

Contribute came into this race on the back of two successive runner-up finishes, both over 1800m … both at the Sunshine Coast in Class 4 Handicaps.

In the first of those she was touched off by the proverbial whisker by Hyde, who was on his way to a hat-trick of wins … and she followed that up by only going down by half-a-length at her next start, so Contribute was clearly worthy of a change of fortune, but moving the challenge from the Sunshine Coast the city environment at Eagle Farm brought an additional layer to the task. Read more ...

IT'S A CITY WIN FOR STEWART AND TAYLAH MACKINNON (SEPTEMBER 30)

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After a series of placings (two third and two seconds), the Chris Munce trained Dark Harmony found his winning touch under Mark Du Plessis when he proved to strong for his opposition in a Colts, Geldings and Entires BM70 Handicap over 1400m at Eagle Farm on September 16.

After being awkwardly away, Du Plessis showed his intent early by pushing the $4.20 second favourite out to go up in search of the lead which he eventually found, even though it took him the better part of 400m to get there.

Dark Harmony then led in comfortable fashion by a 1.25 length margin throughout the sweep to the home turn, and he was still held full control of the race on straightening.

The challenges were always going to come though, most notably from the $2.40 favourite Naval, Trader, who had tracked up into third place on the bend and who Ben Thompson asked to extend once the field set sail for home.

Dark Harmony is a tough, determined and resilient individual though, and by maintaining a strong gallop in the first half of the straight he ensured that Naval Trader would have to work to reel him in. Read more ...

DARK HARMONY'S CONSISTENCY IS REWARDED (SEPTEMBER 16)

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Three wins and one third place finish in four starts over a six-week period (from July 29 to Sep 9) … all at Saturday metropolitan level … has seen the career of the Corey and Kylie Geran trained and KO Racing owned Nikau Spur go into turbo-charge mode and take off on an exciting new trajectory.

That run of results, rubber stamped by his latest win at Doomben on Saturday, September 9, has brought just shy of a $150 000 boost to Nikau Spur’s prize-money-earnings bank balance, which means that, with a career earnings total of $321 507, he is already well on his way to doubling the money he earned in eighteen starts for the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace camp, prior to transferring the Geran stable, after only ten starts for the Geran team.

Nikau Spur won four races for Maher/Eustace up to 1600m and he was only tried beyond that 1600m trip once, at 1700m, during his time down south.

Corey and Kylie Geran followed that lead for Nikau Spur’s first six starts for the stable … not venturing beyond 1666m … until what was to become a transformative run when they asked Nikau Spur to tackle 1815m at Eagle Farm in a BM78 Handicap on July 29, which he won. Read more ...

THE NIKAU SPUR STORY JUST GETS BETTER AND BETTER. (SEPTEMBER 9)

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When the French import Chernak returned from a one month freshen-up at Eagle Farm on August 12, the Chris Waller stable engaged Mark Du Plessis for the ride as they searched for an overdue win.

Chernak duly saluted in a BM78 Handicap over 2206m, although he was pushed by the last start winner and more than useful Chase ‘N’ Artie in a race in which he got home by 0.48 lengths. That was Chernak’s second win in nine starts in Australia and there had been a vote of confidence for him in the betting beforehand as he shortened from $8 to a starting price $6.50.

In his three starts prior to that victory, Chernak had been ridden by three different jockeys, but now the astute Waller stable wasn’t about to break up a winning combination and Du Plessis retained the ride when, three weeks later, the stable accepted for Chernak to contest another BM78 Handicap over virtually the same trip (2200m). Read more ...

CHERNAK COMES ON STRONG. POSTS BACK-T0-BACK WINS (SEPTEMBER 2)

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When Mount Fuji won at the Sunshine Coast on August 27 in a BM78 Handicap over 1300m for the Gillian Heinrich and Renita Beaton training partnership, it was the second win of the six-year-old’s career and it took his race earnings to $91 690.

It had been a long time between drinks for the chestnut, whose first win came shortly after joining the Gillian Heinrich stable back in late 2021 ... as it has been a long road for his various connections, and all credit to Heinrich and Beaton ... and jockey Mark Du Plessis ... for getting the best out of Mount Fuji on the day.

Mount Fuji started on the third line of betting at $5.50 with Better Lad at $3 and Spill The Secret at $5 ... and the betting proved to be a reliable guide in identifying the main chances as these three runners did fill the first three places.

Jumping from a wide draw (barrier 9), Mount Fuji was duly caught wide early, racing just worse than midfield, a little under six lengths off the lead over the first 350m of the race.

At that stage Du Plessis made the executive decision to push forward on Mount Fuji and Mount Fuji made ground up very quickly to find a more comfortable position in third place by the time the field reached the 800m mark, now sitting just two lengths off the leader. Read more ...

MOUNT FUJI DOUBLES HIS NUMBER OF WINS (AUGUST 27)

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The win of the Corey and Kylie Geran trained Nikau Spur on July 29 and the horse’s subsequent close-up third place finish in his follow-up outing on August 12 had already kept the KO Racing’s colours to the fore in town giving the training/ownership team a good start to the season ... and it got even better at Doomben on August 26 when the self-same Nikau Spur made it two wins in his last three starts, taking out a BM90 contest over 2020m.

In spite of his consistency, Nikau Spur started at seemingly generous odds of $5 in a five-horse field ... with punters rather siding with the big stables of Chris Waller, who saddled the $2.70 favourite Wairere Falls with whom Nikau Spur had dead-heated for third place when they last met, and Tony Gollan, who sent out the $3.90 second favourite Fifth Position.

That would prove to be their mistake.

Nikau Spur’s pervious win had come over 1815m. Following that, his narrow defeat had come over 1835m ... and now the stable saw fit to step up the distance test to the 2020m trip with Mark Du Plessis, who had partnered Nikau Spur in all of his last three starts leading into this race, staying in the saddle, thereby giving his vote of confidence to the chestnut son of Proisir, and providing a presence, with his knowledge of the horse, which would serve Nikau Spur well. Read more ...

NIKAU SPUR DOES IT AGAIN (AUGUST 26)

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Another double figure odds winner for jockey Mark du Plessis.

That was a fairly regular theme last season and the third race at the Sunshine Coast at the midweek meeting on August 23 once again fell firmly into that category when Du Plessis partnered the Rex Lipp trained Burnish Gold to victory in a Class 6 Plate over 1000m at the juicy odds of $13.

Du Plessis, who had also won on the Lipp trained Aqua Alta earlier in the month, was having his first ride on Burnish Gold, a four-year-0old daughter of Defcon, who was second-up and coming off a very ordinary run when resuming at Eagle Farm three-and-a-half weeks earlier after a four-month layoff.

There was a point of concern following that run with the steward’s report stating, ‘Burnish Gold – Bumped shortly after jumping. Rider J. Orman stated that the filly weakened noticeably over the concluding stages and as a result he elected not to place his mount under pressure. A post-race veterinary examination revealed no significant abnormalities. Trainer Mr R. Lipp was advised that the filly will be required to barrier trial to the satisfaction of Stewards prior to racing again.’ Read more ...

BURNISH GOLD BOUNCES BACK TO HER BEST (AUGUST 23)

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Discretion proved the better part of valour when the decision was made to send the Joshua King trained Highbar back to the Sunshine Coast for his second career start in a Three-Year-Old BM68 Handicap over 1200m on August 13, instead of taking up the option to tackle a QTIS Three-Year-Old Open Handicap over 1000m in town at Eagle Farm the day before, a race for which he was nominated.

Highbar had romped home on debut, destroying the best of his opposition by 4.80 lengths, and the decision to not take on the likes of the more experienced Miss Coota … who already had Group 3 experience behind her name (she placed fifth in the Bruce McLachlan) and who was good enough to earn a place in the Magic Millions Two-year-old Classic … proved to be a sound one in terms of keeping Highbar on a winning roll … but it was a very close call. Read more ...

HIGHBAR MAKES IT TWO FROM TWO - BUT IT WAS OH SO CLOSE AS HE SALUTED BY THE NARROWEST OF MARGINS (AUGUST 13)

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The French-bred gelding Chernak regained his winning touch when he landed a BM78 Handicap over 2206m at Eagle Farm on August 12.

it was third time lucky over the track and distance (or close to it) for the Chris Waller trained son of Dariyan, who had tackled a 2212m and a 2200m race at the city track in his previous two starts in which he had finished second and fifth respectively.

Mark Du Plessis was in the saddle for the first time here in a race in which the Waller camp had three runners, the $4.20 favourite Carbonetti, Chernak at $6.50 and Oz Legend, who jumped at a starting price of $7.

Patience is often the name of the game in staying races and Du Plessis had that in spades as he kept Chernak racing well within himself some nine lengths back in third last place as the eleven-strong field went down the back straight.

It was only in the latter half of the sweep to the home turn that Du Plessis started to get to work on Chernak, knowing the he would have to produce a sustained run from there to get the chocolates, and the pair straightened seven wide, still on heels, but soon to become the widest runner … with it all still left to do in the run home … and it would take the almost whole length of the straight for Chernak to run down the leaders. Read more ...

CHERNAK'S SUSTAINED RUN CARRIES THE DAY (AUGUST 12)

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If any horse has been knocking at the door trying to open the way to his first win, it has been Galway Hussler.

in four starts as a two-year-old, the Corey and Kylie Geran trained daughter of Husson finished third, second and then third and second again … maybe not against the strongest of opposition, but nevertheless showing a level of consistency while learning her trade which suggested that a win was certainly on the cards.

The stable targeted a QTIS Three-Year-Old Handicap over 1000m at the Sunshine Coast on August 6 as Galway Hussler’s first run as a three-year-old and the run she produced here underlined the progress she has been making while getting to grips with the task of learning how to win.

Starting at double figure odds of $11 with Mark Du Plessis in the saddle, Galway Hussler began quickly before taking up a trail in third place a little over a length behind the two leaders in the early part. Read more ...

GALWAY HUSSLER FINDS WINNING FORM (AUGUST 6)

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The Rex Lipp trained Aqua Alta claimed her fourth win from only fourteen starts when she landed a BM78 contest over 1600m at Eagle Farm on August 5.

Seven of the last eight runs of Aqua Alta leading into this race had been at Metropolitan level over distances ranging from 1350m to 2020m … and on half of those occasions she finished less than a length behind the winner, so she certainly had positive credentials on the table.

Jumping from a number ten barrier, Aqua Alta ($6) was held four wide soon after the start, but jockey Mark Du Plessis knew exactly where he wanted to be and he didn’t back off until he had been able to cross and sit in second place, one out, within three-quarters-of-a-length of the frontrunning Hostage Of War, a $91 bolter.

Du Plessis then cuddled the daughter of Altius, maintaining a steady, managed tempo while holding the prime position to strike at the leader, a position he maintained with apparent ease all the way through the sweep to the home turn.

On straightening, it was a different matter. Read more ...

AQUA ALTA'S CONSISTENCY GETS ITS REWARD (AUGUST 5)

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After strolling home on Highbar in the opening race on the card on July 30, Mark Du Plessis made it a winning double when he saluted aboard Sir Carter just two races later in a QTIS Three-Year-old Maiden Plate over 1000m at the Sunshine Coast.

The chestnut gelding had finished as the runner-up in three of his previous seven starts, including a second place finish over the same track and distance two weeks earlier in his last start leading into this race, and so was arguably ready to win.

The betting indicated Sir Carter had two to beat to get that desired result.

Party Spirit ($2.45) and Polarising ($2.90) held favour in the betting markets ahead of Sir Carter, who was priced at $4, but Du Plessis decided to take the bull by the horns from the break, riding Sir Carter as if he was the best in the race and chasing him up from a wide barrier number nine draw to claim an immediate lead.

Du Plessis simply excels at rating his horses in these circumstances … and he produced another gem of a ride as he stacked up the runners behind him in the sweep to the home turn, unfazed by the line of runners right behind him who were still snapping at Sir Carter’s heels as the field straightened for home. Read more ...

SIR CARTER PUTS A DESERVED WIN ON THE SCOREBOARD (JULY 30)

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It is one of racing’s truths that when you see a horse come out carrying the red and white silks of Windemere Stud (Steve Tregea) you know it will be well worth a second glance.

Tregea’s claim to fame in terms of his association with quality racehorses reaches far beyond his most high-profile handling of Incentivise, who, when trained by Tregea, plundered six wins in a row by a combined winning margin of 41.9 lengths before being on-sold to southern interests where he went on to win three successive Group 1’s (including the Caulfield Cup) before running second to Verry Elleegant in the Melbourne Cup.

The likes of Niccanova … a ten-time winner with over $1 million banked in prize-money … come to mind.

So, when the Speith gelding Highbar travelled all the way from Toowoomba to the Sunshine Coast on July 30, and came out with jockey Mark du Plessis sporting the Windemere silks, the chances were very good that owner Tregea and trainer Joshua King had not made the trip for the scenery. Read more ...

THE APPROPRIATELY NAMED HIGHBAR LEAVES HIS RIVALS TRAILING IN A STRONG DEBUT WIN (JULY 30)

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Nikau Spur made a lot of ultra enthusiast owners very happy when he saluted in a BM78 over 1815m in town, at Eagle Farm, on July 29.

It was the KO Racing Syndicate brand’s fiftieth race winner and it came with the added bonus of a valuable city win which added a useful $42 700 to the prize-money earnings kitty.

Formerly with Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, the Corey and Kylie Geran trained New Zealand bred came into the race on the back of a close-up third placing in a Class 4 Handicap over 1666m at Ipswich just ten days earlier.

Mark Du Plessis was in the saddle that day, and he retained the ride here with Nikau Spur jumping at a starting price of an easy-to-back $17.

Nikau Spur settled just off the speed, in fifth some three lengths off the front-runner early. That became sixth place and five lengths back going down the back stretch, but Nikau Spur was always seemingly travelling well within himself with Du Plessis content to hold that position. Read more ...

NIKAU SPUR LANDS A BIG PUNCH FOR KO RACING (JULY 29)

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There was only a nose in it at the end, but that was enough for the Chris Meehan trained Rocked to claim his second career success in a QTIS Three-Year-Old BM 65 Handicap over 1666m at Ipswich on July 28.

It was back on January 14 when Rocked landed his first career success, perhaps significantly also at Ipswich over a similar trip (1690m). On that occasion the son of Fastnet Rock was ridden by dual licensee holder, jockey-trainer Chris Meehan himself, but on this occasion the four-year-old was partnered by Mark Du Plessis.

Du Plessis had, in fact, ridden Rocked in his last run prior to this Ipswich engagement in a QTIS Three-Year-Old Handicap over 1805m at Eagle Farm, in which he finished fifth … but only 1.50 lengths behind the winner … at a starting price of $101.

That result was certainly good enough to put him in the race here and Rocked duly started on the fourth line of betting as a $6 chance. Read more ...

ROCKED CLAIMS A LAST STRIDE VICTORY (JULY 28)

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As an experienced jockey you learn to enjoy your hot-spots … results-wise … and also to be patience when you are waiting for your next winner to arrive.

Mark Du Plessis has had plenty of practice dealing with both of those elements of race riding … as it was again when riding a treble at Doomben on July 12 and then having to wait eleven days before visiting the winners’ enclosure again … but, interestingly enough, that gap between winners included four runner-up finishes (all by less than a two length margin) and four third place finishes, so Du Plessis had certainly not been far from the action during that period.

And Du Plessis duly struck again on the Paul Jenkins trained Mooloolaba in a QTIS Three-Year-Old Plate over 1600m at the Sunshine Coast on July 23.

A New Zealand bred, Mooloolaba had raced eleven times in New Zealand before transferring to the Jenkins stable at the Sunshine Coast, for which he debuted with an unplaced finish at Ipswich on June 30. Read more ...

MOOLOOLABA WINS AT THE SUNSHINE COAST (JULY 23)

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July 12 at Doomben was a very good day at the office for jockey Mark Du Plessis, who landed a treble … riding two winners for Chris Waller (Give Him Wings and Reisinger) and bringing Deep Rouge home for trainer Barry Lockwood.

Significantly, the treble moved Du Plessis into the top ten on the Brisbane Jockey’s Premiership ladder.

Du Plessis wasted no time in getting the ball rolling, claiming the first race … a QTIS Two-Year-Old Handicap over 1350m … aboard Give Him Wings … this, in spite of the fact that he was riding the lesser fancied of the two Chris Waller trained runners in the race. (Give Him Wings was a $4.20 chance while Denote was the strong $1.90 race favourite).

Give Him Wings, who was third-up in only his second preparation, had raced ordinarily in Sydney in his previous two starts with Waller then electing to send him back to Brisbane, where he had in fact kicked off his career.

The change of scenery clearly did the son of Rubick (who is out of the Group 2 Silver Slipper winner Amelia’s Dream) the world of good.

Give Him Wings wasn’t the best away, but Du Plessis asked him to go forward, and he quickly moved into second place behind the $21 outsider Gypsy White Socks. Give Him Wings held that position until the approach to the home turn where Du Plessis shifted pushed his mount up alongside the early leader.

With an even longer priced outsider Two Of Us ($71) also moving up quickly on the outside of Give Him Wings, Du Plessis found himself in the centre of a line of three runners on straightening.

The effort of Two Of Us was short-lived though, leaving Give Him Wings and Gypsy White Socks fighting for supremacy for much of the straight. Read more ...

'VALUE' JOCKEY MARK DU PLESSIS RIDES A TREBLE (JULY 12)

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With his win in a BM75 Handicap over 1200m at the Sunshine Coast on June 18, Be Water My Friend, the Matthew Park trained son of Headwater, became a five-time winner … and he has been ridden to victory in the last four of those occasions by Mark Du Plessis.

Park is the fourth trainer to have Be Water My Friend in his stables … and he is by far the most successful having guided the now five-year-old to fours wins, a second place and a third place in the ten starts he has had for the stable to date.

After a rousing start, with three wins in his first five starts for the Park stable between July 9, 2022 and September 24, 2022 … Water My Friend’s results did taper off with four unplaced runs.

It should be noted those races … all in town … were won by the likes of Starvirgo (an eight-time winner), Far Too Easy (a seven-time winner and, for a while, considered a Stradbroke candidate), Arentee (a five-time winner) and Antino (a new star on the block who has won eight of nine starts). Read more ...

BE WATER MY FRIEND BACK IN THE WINNERS' ENCLOSURE (JUNE 18)

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Mark Du Plessis continues to prove his prowess on less fancied runners striking another ‘value’ blow for those who follow him when he piloted the Robert Heathcote trained Spaceship to a thrilling victory in a Three-Year-Old Colts and Geldings Maiden Plate over 1200m at Doomben on June 7.

Spaceship started at $21.

In fairness, Spaceship’s launch into a winning atmosphere would have been difficult to pick up on paper.

The lightly raced son of Invader’s previous two starts … on November and December last year … had produced real lack-lustre efforts and, while a trail a month ago before this first-up run was adequate, it too did not exactly set the track alight … hence the long odds.

But, as was well demonstrated here, six months in-between runs can do wonders for a lightly raced three-year-old’s development and maturity, as Spaceship not only stepped up his game in dramatic fashion, but he seemed to thrive on the challenge. Read more ...

WE HAVE LIFT-OFF. SPACESHIP CLAIMS HIS FIRST WIN (JUNE 7)

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The Mishani Enterprises team scored another notable success when Mishani Sniper scored a nail-biting win in the Listed Chief De Beers over 1110m at Doomben on May 20.

While there was certainly nothing wrong with Mishani Sniper’s form going into the race … he had chalked up three successive wins and three second places in his previous six starts … the weight of the big stable opposition (which included runners from the likes of top visiting trainers James Cumming and Bjorn Baker … as well as local heavyweights Tony Gollan and Robert Heathcote), coupled with the fact that Mishani Sniper had to jump from barrier eleven out of twelve runners, saw punters turn away from the Les Ross trained runner, with Mishani Sniper allowed to start at the juicy odds of $17.

Mark Du Plessis, who was riding Mishani Sniper for the first time, took the four-year-old gelding back from the wide draw, racing second then third last, some seven lengths off the leader in the first half of the race.

Du Plessis edged Mishani Sniper a little bit close in the sweep to the home turn while following a line which would see him corner five wide in search of clear running, At the top of the home straight that search needed one more switch, and Du Plessis didn’t hesitate, quickly angling Mishani Sniper out across the heels of The Big Goodbye ($7.50) … which arguably turned out to be the race winning move. Read more ...

MISHANI SNIPER SHOOTS DOWN THE OPPOSITION (MAY 20)

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The Robert Heathcote trained Helikedempretty came away a winner in only her third career start when she landed a QTIS Three-year-Old Fillies Maiden handicap over 1000m at the Sunshine Coast on May 14.

The daughter of Pariah did not race as a two-year-old and, in fact, only made her debut nine months into her three-year-old season.

Helikedempretty immediately showed that she possessed some ability when finishing second in her first career start, coming home only just over a length short of making a winning debut.

Good gate speed from the number one barrier on that occasion enabled Mark Du Plessis to chase Helikedempretty (the $3.60 second favourite) into an immediate lead, a position she maintained all the way through the sweep to the home turn.

The pressure was always on her though as her rivals were packed up and lined across the track close behind her on straightening.

That pressure continued to mount as a line of horses continued to snap at her heels in the home straight and, while she was able to gamely hold the immediate challengers at bay, Helikedempretty was vulnerable late to something running on from behind. Read more ...

ANOTHER FIGHTING PERFORMANCE FROM HELIKEDEMPRETTY GETS IT'S REWARD THIS TIME (MAY 14)

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It is not an overstatement to say that the five-year-old gelding National Choice has found a new lease of life since joining the Robert Heathcote stable.

When he saluted in a BM80 Handicap over 1350m on May 13, 2023 under a telling ride from Mark Du Plessis the son of Snitzel was winning for the third time in five starts for the Heathcote stable. He had also finished second and third in those other two starts when never more than 1,17 lengths behind the winner.

Given that form, it is hard to believe that you have to go back to April 26, 2020 to find his previous win, which actually came on debut.

Interestingly enough, the seventeen runs National Choice had for the Mick Price and Michael Kent (Jnr) training partnership included runs in both the Group 3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude (in which he finished third behind Crosshaven) and the $2 million, 2020, Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (won by Ole Kirk) … so there was certainly no shortage of perceived ability or ambition with regard to this runner.

Mark Du Plessis, who has ridden National Choice in two of the three wins for the Heathcote stable, was again at his best in piloting National Choice to his latest victory by a 0.30 length margin. Read more ...

NATIONAL CHOICE HAS TAKEN ON A NEW LEASE OF LIFE (MAY 13)

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On Wednesday April 26, Toowoomba hosted a midweek metropolitan meeting, a fairly rare occurrence at the top of the range and that setting provided the stage for the Paul Butterworth trained Menari Magic to claim a win in a BM 65 Handicap over 1200m.

It was the second win in a row (and a third career success) for the three-year-old daughter of Menari who has at last hit a purple patch of form ... the kind of performance level she promised when running out a fluent winner on debut in the featured Pat O’Shea Plate back on September 25, 2021.

That debut win, coincidentally, was the only other time Menari Magic had raced at Toowoomba, meaning his latest win left her with a perfect record at the track.

With the results on the Gold Coast Poly track not yet recognised as any real guide to future performance (except on the Poly Track), Menari Magic’s win on that surface in the run leading into this contest held little sway with punters who let Menari Magic go off at odds of $15.

The $3 favourite was the Tony Gollan trained Snow Boum, who had won on debut three weeks earlier with Honkytonk Diva next in the betting at $3.70 ... and it was $9 bar two.

The start was a hectic one with no less than half-a-dozen runners quickly becoming embroiled in a mad chase for the lead. Read more ...

MENARI MAGIC CLAIMS A SECOND SUCCESSIVE WIN AS SHE STARTS TO DELIVER ON HER EARLY PROMIS (APRIL 26)

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The Robert Heathcote trained Stuttering claimed the seventh win of his career when holding all challenges at bay in a pulsating finish to salute in a Class 6 Plate over 1650m at Doomben on April 22.

The result was part of the continuing success story of the combination of Mark Du Plessis and Stuttering, a horse/rider partnership which dates back to June 3, 2020.

That was the first time Du Plessis took the son of Loves Conquers All into battle and their record since then underlines a relationship where each work superbly for each other, combining their talents to to bring the best out of each other.

Du Plessis and Stuttering have teamed up on eighteen occasions ... for five wins, three second places, six third places, two fourths and two fifth place finishes. In five of those non-winning runs, Stuttering finished less than a length behind the winner ... runs full of merit ... most notably his runner-up finish in the $1 million Magic Millions QTIS Open Handicap in January 2021 in which he was touched off by a whisker by The Odyssey.

The understanding and trust that had been forged between Stuttering and Du Plessis during this time was to play a pivotal part in Stuttering’s latest success where, in spite of his consistency, Stuttering was still relatively easy to back at $5.50. Read more ...

STUTTERING STRUTS HIS STUFF (APRIL 22)

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The former Mick Price and Michael Kent (Jnr) trained National Choice has taken on a new lease of life since transferring to the Robert Heathcote yard and the five-year-old continued his good work, making it two wins in a row when landing a No Metro Wins Handicap over 1400m at Eagle Farm on April 15.

The son of Snitzel had won on debut for the Price/Kent training partnership but had failed to add to his winning tally in a further sixteen starts for the stable.

Seven months after his last run in Victoria, National Choice finished second at Ipswich over 1200m in his first start in Queensland before doubling his career winning total in his second start for the Heathcote stable, this time over 1400m at the Sunshine Coast.

Heathcote understandably kept National Choice over the 1400m trip for his first start in town and booked Mark Du Plessis for the ride.

Du Plessis has been making quite a habit in recent times of winning the first time he rides a horse, and he added National Choice’s name to that particular list, guiding the gelding home with a perfect ride to score by 1.46 lengths. Read more ...

NATIONAL CHOICE TAKES ON A NEW LEASE OF LIFE (APRIL 15)
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The lightly raced Lady Le Da arrived at Ipswich for a QTIS Three-year-Old Fillies Handicap contest over 1350m on April 10 first-up and fresh after a near five month break from race action.

The daughter of Doomsday only had four previous starts coming into this race, but she already had a win on the board. She had finished third on her debut over 1400 before saluting in her second career start when fitter for that first-up run and when stepping up the distance to the 1600m trip.

Both of those runs were at her home track at the Sunshine Coast, and she was back there two runs later (after a lack-lustre effort in town at Eagle Farm) and she added another third placing to her form-line when finishing 2.50 lengths behind the Lee Freedman trained Soothsayer over 1600m. (Soothsayer would frank that form by going on to complete a hat-trick of wins).

Trainer Paul Jenkins brought Lady Le Da back in distance to 1350m for this first-up effort at Ipswich where she jumped as a $4.40 third favourite in a competitive betting race.

With Mark Du Plessis in the saddle for the first time, Lady Le Da settled in the second half of the field early on, giving the duelling leading duo of Heroic Miss ($6) and April In Augusta ($4) some five to six lengths start. Read more ...

PAUL JENKINS PRESENTS LADY LE DA IN WINNING FORM FIRST-UP AFTER A FIVE MONTH BREAK (APRIL 10)

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The very smart Foxwedge gelding Mississippi Prince made a winning return to action when resuming after a five-and-a-half month layoff in a QTIS Class 6 Plate over 1350m at Doomben on April 8.

The four-year-old had struggled to make headway early in his career, having two unplaced starts during 2021 with those runs coming as far apart as May and November, but a dramatic turnaround in his fortunes came when he was transferred to Rockhampton based trainer Kerrod Smyth.

Mississippi Prince resumed in his first start for Smyth on June 3, 2022, winning a Maiden first-up and quickly moving on to add another two wins (and a runner-up finish) to his record in his next three starts.

The last of those win was in the $50 000 Magic Millions Whitsunday QTIS Three-Year-Old Guineas over 1560m in Mackay and, with the horse going so well, Mississippi Prince returned to the yard of trainer Brent Gray, who he had started out with, to test his mettle in South-East Queensland where he opened his campaign with two successive wins at the Gold Coast over 1200m and 1350m, both on heavy going.

That took his winning sequence to four straight wins ... and five wins from his last six starts ... after which he was spelled for those five months before being asked to step up to metropolitan company at Doomben with Mark Du Plessis entrusted with the task of guiding Mississippi Prince through his next challenge where he would start at odds of $9.50.Read more ...

FIVE WINS IN A ROW FOR MISSISSIPPI PRINCE (APRIL 8)

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The lightly raced four-year-old gelding Time To Testify came to Ipswich on April 5 to contest a Maiden Plate, dropping back in distance from 1600m to 1350m after a brief freshen-up.

The Shaun Dwyer trained son of Spill The Beans, who was only having his eighth start, did have two reasonable previous city results, both on a Wednesday at Eagle Farm, to recommend his chances ... a fourth placed finish behind Wonderful Rayray, who would win again next time out, and a runner-up finish behind Poetic Drama, who would similarly frank that form by scoring another win two runs later.

And, while not setting the town alight, Time To Testify last run before going into this Ipswich contest resulted in a fair fourth place, when only 2.40 lengths off the winner over the 1600m trip.

Even though the potential in these runs was recognised by punters with Time To Testify starting second favourite at $4, if the betting boards were to be believed, there did appear to be a very large hurdle to overcome in the form of the year younger chestnut gelding Simple Way from the O’Dea /Hoysted stable who was backed almost to the exclusion of the rest of the field, starting at the prohibitive odds of $1.85. Read more ...

TIME TO TESTIFY UPSTAGES THE HOT FAVOURITE (APRIL 5)

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The Robert Heathcote trained Seefeld came into a BM58 Handicap over 1800m at the Sunshine Coast on April 2 on the back of a gallant third placing over 1600m in the same class at the same track two weeks earlier.

Seefeld, who was being ridden by Mark Du Plessis for the first time there, raced well back early on that occasion (all of ten to twelve lengths off the early leaders) before showing good acceleration for the majority of the home straight when chasing home as the widest runner. He did peak on his run late, but that third placing was still full of merit.

Stepping up an extra 200m to the 1800m trip here, Seefeld was sent out as the $3.60 second favourite behind the Chris Waller trained main fancy Different Road ($2.40).

These two runners would indeed fight out the finish, but the result would go in the reverse order to that shown on the betting boards with Seefeld doing just enough to gain the win by a very narrow and fast diminishing margin. Read more ...

SEEFELD BY A NOSTRIL (APRIL 2)

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A six-year-old mare, a thirty-two start veteran ... still putting in and winning.

That, in short, sums up the performance of the Chris Munce trained Valley Of Dreams who powered home at the juicy odds of $9.50 to see off the late rally of Charge On ($4.60) and claim her sixth career victory when landing a Class 5 Handicap over 1350m at Doomben on March 22.

Mark Du Plessis has ridden Valley Of Dreams to the last four of those victories, dating all the way back to January 2022, and his knowledge of the horse and the way in which they work together was, yet again, a telling point in the result.

It had been a month between runs when Valley Of Dreams faced the starter here.

That freshness, combined with a number one barrier draw, allowed Du Plessis to put Valley Of Dreams into the race from the very first bound.

After jumping well enough to ensure Valley Of Dreams would take suitable benefit from jumping from pole position, Du Plessis was happy to let the speed out wider come around him as he settled Valley Of Dreams into a perfect third place, saving ground on the rail, just two lengths off the leader. Read more ...

VALLEY OF DREAMS STILL GOING STRONG (MARCH 22)

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Talk about following a value jockey.

In the last thirty days prior to getting the leg up onto the Jack Laing trained Gertanie in a Ratings band 0-58 Handicap over 1000m at the Sunshine Coast on March 19, Mark Du Plessis’s winners had included a win aboard Tappy’s Lad at a starting price of $14 as well as a victory aboard Crimson warning at odds of $15.

Those wins provided great enough value in itself for those who follow Du Plessis, but the accomplished hoop was about to take that ‘value return’ element to the next level when he took Gertanie out onto the Sunshine Coast track.

The mare would win at a starting price of ... would you believe ... $101. Read more ...

JACK LAING GETS ON THE BOARD WITH A $101 WINNER (MARCH 19)

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Tappy’s Lad completed a $75 double for jockey Mark Du Plessis on the day (with Crimson Warning, being his earlier winner) when the forty-race veteran scored his second successive win when taking out a BM78 contest over 2406m on March 11.

The Kerry Taplin trained son of Proisir’s previous win had come two weeks earlier at Doomben over 2200m, also with Du Plessis in the saddle, in a race in which Du Plessis rode Tappy’s Lad cold, dropping out early, giving the leaders a six length start, before moving up to assert his authority over the concluding stages.

So, there was never any reason to change a winning strategy.

Last time out Tappy’s Lad started at $14. This time he was more respectably priced, but still relatively easy to back at $5.

Those who did so would undoubtedly have been aware of his racing pattern from his last start, so they would have been particularly perturbed when Du Plessis took Tappy’s Lad back on cue after the jump to race in eighth place some eight lengths off the leader as the field went out of the home straight on their first circuit. Read more ...

TAPPY'S LAD AGAIN UNDERLINES HIS STAYING PROWESS WITH A SECOND SUCCESSIVE WIN (MARCH 11)

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The two-year-old filly Crimson Warning gave jockey Mark Du Plessis the first leg of a Metropolitan riding double at Eagle Farm on March 11 when she proved too strong for her rivals in a QTIS Two-Year-Old Handicap over 1300m.

The Rex Lipp and Nick Beck trained daughter of Defcon had raced on two previous occasions, finishing fifth on debut over 1000m at Toowoomba a month prior to this run ... and then second over 1350m at Doomben on February 25.

That runner-up finish, while a progressive result on paper, did come with a beaten margin of 4.20 lengths, a factor which possibly played a part in punters being lukewarm in their approach towards the Lipp / Beck trained runner who was allowed to start a the juicy odds of $15.

There was another factor influencing the betting market with the visiting, Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou trained Mr Caleb holding a position as a strong favourite at $2.05. Read more ...

CRIMSON WARNING SCORES A HARD-EARNED AND THOROUGHLY DESERVED METROPOLITAN VICTORY (MARCH 11)

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The Chris Munce trained Jetty landed a strong first-up win under the guidance of jockey Mark Du Plessis when claiming his seventh career victory in an Open Handicap over 1200m at Eagle Farm on March 4.

The five-year-old son of Jet Spur was resuming after a just short of a five month layoff and, although he still started at double figure odds, he was not without support firming in from $17 to $11, possibly due to the fact that he had won twice before when first-up.

There appeared to be a bit of quality opposition lining up against Jetty ... most notable the two runners at the top of the betting boards Hilal ($2.70) and The Big Goodbye ($3.80).

The former, a winner of the Group 2 Stan Fox, had relocated to the Tony Gollan stable from Team Hawkes after ordinary efforts in two Group 1’s (the Rupert Clarke and the Toorak) and in the Golden Eagle ... but his overall level of performance when at his best still suggested he could come back strong here, in what was also his first-up run after four months away from race action. Read more ...

JETTY'S IMPRESSIVE COME FROM BEHIND VICTORY (MARCH 4)

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If you missed jockey Mark Du Plessis on the first race winner at Doomben on February 25, you would have been even more sorry you if you missed him on the second race winner as his mount, Tappy’s Lad went off at a starting price of $14.

The race was a BM78 Handicap over 2200m which the Kerry Taplin trained son of Proisir arrived at on the back of two fringe of the placings finishes, in which he never got close enough to threaten the result.

Du Plessis had ridden Tappy’e Lad in his last start fifth, 4.30 lengths behind the winner Head Of State in a race where Tappy’s Lad had also been beaten by Two Smokin Barrels (who finished second), Scarlett Of War (third) and Scarlet Tufty (fourth).

The latter three runners were all lining up against Tappy’s Lad again here, but, beyond that, two other runners ... Namakwa ($3.80) and Coup De Tonnerre ($3.90) ... were the main fancies, all of which combined to leave Tappy’s Lad out in the cold on the betting boards, his $14 quote being the longest price of any of the seven runners in the race. Read more ...

TAPPY'S LAD CAUSES A $14 BOILOVER (FEBRUARY 25)

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The Peter and Will Hulbert trained Felix The Scat demolished his rivals, turning in an ultra-convincing first-up performance when taking out a QTIS Two-Year-Old Handicap over 1350m at Doomben on February 25.

The son of Mendelssohn had raced twice in his first preparation. After a trial win, Felix The Scat was one of the eleven runners who lined up for the first two-year-old race of the season ... the Pat O’Shea Plate at Toowoomba on September 24, 2022 ... in which he finished fifth, 3.60 lengths behind the winner Bedaub, after chasing from a wide number ten barrier draw over 1000m.

It was a 1000m again in his next start where the Hulbert team were confident enough to take Felix The Scat to town where he showed due improvement to finish third in a QTIS Two-Year-Old Plate on October 22 behind Mishani Renegade, who would frank that form by going on to win his next two starts as well.

Felix The Scat was then allowed just short of five months away from race action, before this first-up run at Doomben, where the distance test was stepped up to 1350m and where he had all the experience and expertise of Mark Du Plessis in the saddle to help offset the horses own relative inexperience. Read more ...

FELIX THE SCAT'S DOMINANT FIRST-UP WIN (FEBRUARY 25)

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Going into a Class 6 Handicap over 1600m at Eagle Farm on February 18, the Robert Heathcote trained Stuttering had not won a race since July 18, 2020 ... and Mark Du Plessis, the gelding’s rider on the day had not ridden in a race since picking up an injury on December 24, 2022.

That is nineteen months away from the winner’s enclosure for the horse and just under two months out of the saddle for the jockey ... which, in theory, at face value at least, would hardly rate as an attractive betting proposition.

But the bookmakers were not about to be caught out with Stuttering being marked up as the $3.70 third favourite behind the Tony Gollan trained duo, Love Sensation ($2.50) and Rock Amore ($3.40), this, in spite of the fact that, while his previous three runs this prep were not that bad, albeit all when beaten out of the placings at long odds, there was little to suggest a spirited improvement was to come fourth-up.

But the race was to prove otherwise.

Du Plessis took Stuttering into an immediate lead and he had Rock Amore trailing him in second spot as Stuttering took the field down the back stretch, with the favourite Love Sensation stalking the leading pair in third place. Read more ...

STUTTERING DIGS DEEP TO LAND A WELL OVERDUE WIN (FEBRUARY 18)

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Taking a break from race-riding ... enforced or otherwise ... is a double-edged sword.

In the case of an injury taking a rider out of action, the opportunity to have a welcome ‘refresh’ is countered by work involved in getting back to match fitness when the time comes ... and that road can really test a rider’s dedication.

You have to be focussed on what you want to achieve to have a successful outcome to that challenge and jockey Mark Du Plessis has personified professionalism in that regard, following the injury he sustained at the Christmas Eve meeting at Doomben.

“Yeah, it happened on Christmas Eve behind the gates on a filly I rode for Chris Munce (Freeman) in the two-year-old race (the Bruce mcLachlan) ... the qualifier for the Magic Millions,” explained Du Plessis. “She reared up. I got thrown off and landed flat on my back.

“I thought I can still ride ... so I rode that race and rode my last one, but then, on Boxing Day I ended up in hospital. I couldn’t move.

“I’d broken a rib and my L1 ... so a rib and a veterbra. The doctors said I have to take six weeks off, so I listened.

“It was not the best timing ... it never is ... but it was good to take a break. It could have been worse." Read more ...

AS THE SAYING GOES ... YOU CAN'T KEEP A GOOD MAN DOWN ... DU PLESSIS MAKES HIS WAY BACK FROM INJURY (FEBRUARY 16)

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It was a nice race to win ... a $105 000 Open Quality Handicap over 1815m which was run and won at Eagle Farm on December 17 ... a race in which the Barry Baldwin trained Gave Us Up defied his double figure odds ($12) to score by just under half-a-length, doing enough to withstand late pressure from the $9 Couldn’t Refuse over the closing stages.

Already a six-time winner coming into the race, Gave Us Up was basically taking on his seventh start in this latest preparation ... there were a couple of brief freshen-ups in-between some of those runs ... as he searched to find the kind of form that saw him post back-to-back wins in March and April in his last two runs before an extended spell which took him away from racing for a full four-and-a-half months between April 30 and September 10.

In his previous start, just a week before he posted this win, Gave Us Up had recorded his best result this time in, finishing fifth, only two lengths off the winner over 1600m.

Mark Du Plessis was the rider on that occasion and the experienced jockey stayed aboard Gave Us Up with the son of Spill The Beans now on a seven day back-up and stepping up the distance test from 1600m to 1815m. Read more ...

NO GIVE IN GAVE US UP AS HE CLAIMS A ROUSING VICTORY (DECEMBER 17)

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The Chris Munce trained Valley Of Dreams and jockey Mark Du Plessis had to pull out all the stops in a driving finish in a Class 4 Handicap over 1690m at Ipswich on December 15, but, when the dust had settled, the judge gave them the nod allowing them to claim the decision by the narrowest of margins.

It was Valley Of Dream’s second win from her last three starts ... all with Du Plessis aboard.

The previous win for the six-year-old mare came over 1350m ... also at Ipswich ... but the fact that she had already won twice and performed well on numerous occasions over distances around the 1600m, meant that the step up in distance here (from 1350m to 1690m) held no fears for the daughter of Falvelon.

As things turned out in the end though, Valley Of Dreams wouldn’t have wanted it a step further than the 1690.

Du Plessis took Valley Of Dreams ($2.50) into an immediate lead from the break and Valley Of Dreams then set up shop in front, holding a comfortable two length lead as she took the field down the back straight.

As comfortable as that lead was, the $5.50 chance Tolkowski always had Valley Of Dreams in his sights and, when they turned for home with Valley Of Dreams leading and Tolkowski now winding up to challenge ... the race on well and truly on. Read more ...

IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW MUCH YOU WIN BY (DECEMBER 15)

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Continuing the hot run of form fir the stable, the Peter and Will Hulbert trained Mystic Aroma gave the Hulbert training partnership their fifth winner from their last ten starters when she saluted in a BM66 over 1260m at Ballina on December 6.

Jockey Mark Du Plessis, who was on Mystic Aroma, has ridden there of those winners.

Mystic Aroma, a four-year-old daughter of Divine Prophet, was first-up at Ballina, seeing race action for the first time in just over five months and the betting suggested she had been well primed for her return as she was marked up as the clear race favourite at a starting price of $3 in spite of the being allocated the extreme outside barrier draw (ten out of ten).

And she was ready.

Du Plessis initially marked time when caught wide after the start but, as the field split up after racing 200m, an opportunity presented itself for Du Plessis to angle Mystic Aroma inwards and he was able to improve and cross into a handy fifth place, only one out now and some five lengths off the speed, courtesy of a smart piece of riding. Read more ...

THE HULBERT TRAINING PARTNERSHIP IS ON A ROLL (DECEMBER 6)

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The Kerry Taplin trained Willnotquit had struggled to find a winning touch over a long period of time, but, true to her name, perseverance finally paid off when the five-year-old mare saluted in a Maiden Plate over 1800m at the Sunshine Coast on December 4.

In fairness, while Willnotquit’s had to wait till her twenty-first start to claim a victory, she was not winning out of turn having finished second (twice) and third in three of her four starts leading into this race.

Willnotquit started on the third line of betting at $5 behind the two main fancies Playful Passion ($2.45) and Toro D’Oro ($2.50), with Mark Du Plessis, who had ridden Willnotquit in those two second place finishes, back in the saddle.

Caught wide from the number seven barrier draw early, Du Plessis pressed forward on Willnotquit and they found the lead with the minimum of fuss after the field had covered 200m ... with Toro D’Oro settling in second place, tracking the Taplin trained runner, just a length off the speed. Read more ...

WILLNOTQUIT FINALLY GETS HER REWARD (DECEMBER 4)

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The Jan Aitkenhead trained A Big Chance prevailed under a strong ride from Mark Du Plessis to claim his fifth career win in a BM70 contest over 1600m at the Sunshine Coast on December 2.

The six-year-old chestnut gelding had put the writing on the wall to some degree at his previous start when finishing within 0.50 lengths of the useful winner Circling, who was winning for the second time in three starts on that occasion, and the son of Shinzig held that form which, this time translated into a winning effort.

A Big Chance, who had Du Plessis in the saddle for the first time, started second favourite at $4 behind the $2.45 main fancy Calm Seeker, who had a 2.5kg favourable pull at the weights over the Aitkenhead runner.

Du Plessis took A Big Chance back from his wide draw (barrier six in a field of six) and he was content to give his market rival Calm Seeker (who settled in third place) a three length start as he loped along some five lengths off the speed in last place.

Du Plessis was patience personified as he kept A Big Chance at the rear at an easy gallop.

A Big Chance lost a further length on Calm Seeker when the latter went up to challenge for the lead in the middle of the sweep to the home turn and it was only on the final approach to the turn that Du Plessis elected to start pushing A Big Chance out that little bit more.
Read more ...

A BIG CHANCE LIVES UP TO HIS NAME (DECEMBER 2)

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Not given a place in the original field (he was an emergency acceptor), not particularly wanted in the betting when he did get into the race (he started at $10) ... and, not to mention being asked to jump from the worst of the draw ... well, all of those aspects proved to be just minor inconveniences for the Peter and Will Hulbert trained Kipling’s Journey who took out a BM70 Handicap over 1700m at the Gold Coast on November 30 by a clearcut 2.50 length margin.

The four-year-old son of Zoustar was racing second-up here and he clearly showed he had come on well since his first-up run two weeks earlier. On that occasion, which was Kipling’s Journey’s first taste of race action for five months, Kipling’s Journey had finished unplaced over the 1350m trip.

Now, up to a more preferred distance (Kipling’s Journey had, in fact, won up to 2040m) and with Mark Du Plessis taking the race ride for the fourth successive time (Du Plessis also rode him in his two trails in-between preparations) ... Kipling’s Journey and a jockey who knows him well were ready to show their worth.

Taken back from the draw by Du Plessis, Kipling’s Journey raced in last place, some six lengths off the lead as the field went down the back straight.

Du Plessis was happy to bide his time and hold his position there until halfway through the sweep to the home turn where he started to urge Kipling’s Journey forward in measured fashion. Read more ...

ANOTHER WINNER FOR DU PLESSIS AND TEAM HULBERT(NOVEMBER 30)

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The Peter and Will Hulbert trained Hail Manhattan has always been a very honest performer, a fact which was arguably not fairly represented in his starting price of $31 when he lined up for the $150 000 Mooloolaba Cup over 1600m at the Sunshine Coast on November 19.

Not that those who supported him in the betting market cared about that at all when the gelding repaid the faith by putting in the hard yards to secure his eighth career victory under a determined ride from Mark Du Plessis.

The six-year-old son of Manhattan Rain went into the race having won seven times previously. He had also finished second on a further eight occasions ... six of those when less than a length behind the winner, suggesting his record could have been even better with a slice of luck.

He didn’t need any luck here.

Du Plessis chased Hail Manhattan straight into the leading line from the break before going back to settle sixth as the speed came around him early in the back straight.

Hail Manhattan was then placed seventh, some five lengths off the leader at the start of the sweep to the turn ... travelling comfortably. He was still seventh, now swinging four wide, as the field came to the home turn and there was still a little over four lengths for him to make up on straightening.

In other words, there was still work to do ... but Manhattan Rain was more than equal to the task. Read more ...

HAIL MANHATTAN SALUTES IN THE MOOLOOLABA CUP (NOVEMBER 19)

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The Chris Munce trained Valley Of Dreams claimed the fourth win of her areer when she landed a 0-70 Handicap over 1350m at Ipswich on November 9.

The six-year-old daughter of Falvelon’s previous performances in her two starts, since resuming from a five-and-a-half month break from race action, had hardly been anything to write home about (finishing well beaten, out of the placings), a factor which obviously contributed to her starting price of $21 ... in what was still a pretty open betting race in which the favourite was marked up at $5.

Jockey Mark Du Plessis was back on board again ... riding Valley Of Dreams for the sixth time having been in the saddle when Valley Of Dreams last won, also at Ipswich, all the way back in January.

As the saying goes, horses don’t know their starting price and Valley Of Dreams had little trouble in making a mockery of his odds.

Du Plessis had Valley Of Dreams smartly out of the gates from a widish draw and the Munce trained runner gained an immediate lead before crossing to the rail and settling in second and then third placing as Xerri ($15) and Bushido ($5.50) pushed forward into the two leading positions. Read more ...

VALLEY OF DREAMS DEFIES THE ODDS (NOVEMBER 9)

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How good was it to see Mark Du Plessis reunited with the Michael Nolan trained Kisukano in an Open Handicap over 1000m at the Sunshine Coast on October 16.

It had been sixteen months since Du Plessis last rode the now five-year-old mare with whom he had established such a great record in the early stages of her career.

Kisukano won four of her five starts as a two-year-old … including the $500 000 QTIS Two-Year-Old Jewel in which she beat home Rothfire … and Du Plessis was in the saddle for three of those victories, including the big one.

Kisukano then proceeded to win her first two starts as a three-year-old. Du Plessis rode her on one of those occasions meaning that he had partnered her to four of the six wins she had accumulated in only eight starts at that time.

Du Plessis remained Kisukano’s jockey of choice for most of her three-year-old campaign, but he did gradually start giving way to other riders, notably the likes of Michael Rodd, who finished third on Kisukano in the Gold Coast Guineas, and Kerrin McEvoy, who won on her in the Darby McCarthy.

In the ten runs since Du Plessis last rode Kisukano on June 5, 2021, the daughter of Bel Esprit had raced ten times.

While that particular sequence had not produced a win, her underlying talent still shone through with placed finishes in both the Listed Tatts Classic and the Listed Nudgee Stakes.

Now, with order between the Kisuikano and Du Plessis partnership was restored, it was always going to be interesting to see if they could revive their winning touch of old. Read more

DU PLESSIS BACK IN BUSINESS WITH AN OLD FRIEND (OCTOBER 16)

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The Michael Nolan trained Kisukano has always been a class act and her entry in an Open Handicap over 1000m at the Sunshine Coast on October 16 did not go unnoticed.

The now five-year-old Bel Esprit mare may have had her issues over time, most notably her manners at the starting gates, but her well above average ability has never been in doubt since it was brought to the fore very early in her career.

Kisukano won the $500 000 QTIS Two-Year-Old Jewel in only her fourth start to rubber stamp her standing at the time and the fact that win was part of a sequence of successes (including a hat trick of wins) which saw the Nolan trained runner claim six victories from her first eight starts only further enhanced her reputation.

Later she would finish third in the $150 000 Group 3 Gold Coast Guineas and the $130 000 Listed Eureka Stud Tatts Classic … as well as claim as runner-up finish in the Listed $200 000 Nudgee Stakes. Read more ...

KISUKANO BACK WHERE SHE BELONGS (OCTOBER 16)

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The five-year-old gelding Jetty made it four wins from twelve starts since transferring to the Chris Munce stable in November 2021 when he landed a BM90 Handicap over 1600m at Eagle Farm on October 1.

The son of Jet Spur had won two-in-a-row when he resumed for the Munce yard in December 2021 (over 1200m and 1400n) and then he claimed another victory on July 21, 2022 in a Class 4 Handicap, again over the 1400m trip.

Two months after that win, Munce elected to step up the distance test for Jetty to 1600m and he booked Mark Du Plessis to ride the horse for the first time … and both decisions arguably played their part in Jetty’s next success.

Du Plessis had to plot and plan his path as Jetty ($5.50) had to jump from the extreme outside barrier in the twelve horse field … and, with the fair sized field and possibly traffic problems in play later, Du Plessis elected to push forward from the wide draw and he found the lead after the field had gone 100m, although he was held out three wide. Read more ...

JETTY IN A FINELY JUDGED WIN (OCTOBER 1)
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In a rare visit across the border Mark Du Plessis travelled to Grafton to ride in the rescheduled Lismore Cup meeting on September 27.

Du Plessis was aboard the Chris Munce trained Outback Gladiator, a $9 chance whose price was slightly exaggerated due to the presence of the short-priced $1.85 favourite Stuck With You.

As it turned out, the favourite, after being rushed early, never featured in the outcome, but the Kris Lees trained $8 chance Spanish Point did, sinking the hopes of a Country Cup win for the Munce stable with a solid performance. Read more ...

OUTBACK GLADIATOR HAS TO SETTLE FOR SECOND PLACE IN THE RESCHEDULED LISMORE CUP (SEPTEMBER 27)

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It has always been a given in racing that certain horses will run better for certain jockeys and that there will also be certain trainers who will get the best out of certain horses.

When you combine all of those particular, positive factors and put them together, the chances are you will unwrap a success story.

A great example of that would be the story of Be Water My Friend.

It has already been well documented here that Be Water My Friend, a son of Headwater, did show great early promise … winning on debut and then going straight into the Listed Dalrello, in which he finished third …but, soom after that, he changed trainers twice without finding any further success … before it became third time lucky in terms of trainer changes when Be Water My Friend landed in the Matthew Park stable.

Park, who worked some magic of his own, had no hesitation in securing Mark Du Plessis to ride the gelding and the affinity mentioned previously between trainer and horse, jockey and horse, trainer and jockey almost immediately fell into place. Read more ...

BE WATER MY FRIEND MAKES A MOCKERY OF HIS ODDS (SEPTEMBER 24)

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The Tony and Maddysen Sears trained Even Now claimed her second career success when she took out a BM62 Handicap over 1100m at Kilcoy on September 16.

The three-year-old daughter of Better Than Ready was well-placed here by the Sears camp … as can be gauged by the results of her previous five starts.

From December 31, 2021 until March 19, 2022, Even Now raced four times returning a result sheet which showed a win, two runner-up finishes and one very notable third place finish.

That third place came in a race of no less a standing than the $500 000 Aquis QTIS Two-year-Old Jewel where Even Now finished only 1.50 lengths behind the winner, the then unbeaten and much hyped Shesgottheboom.

Even Now was then given a spell after that fine effort in The Jewel on March 19, and she returned for her first-up assignment five months later on August 27, going straight to a Saturday Metro meeting to tackle a Listed $125 000 Three-Year-Old Plate over 1200m.

The two main fancies in the race Spiritualised (who had won two and who been placed second twice in his previous four starts) and Prince Shalaa (who was unbeaten in two starts going into the race) were always going to be tough nuts to crack and they duly filled the first two placings with Even Now ($21) finishing seventh.

So, given all of the above, it could be seen that Even Now had done well enough under reasonably testing circumstances. As easy to acknowledge was the fact that, with that first-up run under her belt … and with nothing like Shesgottheboom, Spiritualised or Prince Shalaa amongst the opposition this time … connections had every reason to be confident with Even Now heading for Kilcoy, although she was still only marked up as the second favourite for her race at $3.10 behind the Tony Gollan trained Kobe Lad ($2.50).

Mark Du Plessis had Even Now in a perfect second position tracking the leader soon after the break, but he himself was being tracked every step of the way by Kobe Lad back in third place. Read more ...

EVEN NOW SCORES A DESERVED WIN (SEPTEMBER 16)
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A confident ride and a horse primed to perform at his best on the day proved to be a recipe for success for the John Smerdon trained, Mark Du Plessis piloted Honorable Spirit who won the $125 000 Gold Coast Cup as he liked, scoring by a clearcut 2.30 lengths at the Gold Coast on August 26.

This was a rare Friday Metropolitan meeting in Queensland, with the fixture being aligned to the Gold Coast show weekend, and Honorable Spirit made the most of his opportunity to land one of the feature races on the day.

The seven-year-old, Charm Spirit gelding is no stranger to Cup contests.

Amongst others, he won the Queensland Cup at Eagle Farm back in October 2021, having finished second in the Toowoomba Cup in the run prior to that success. Read more ...

DU PLESSIS PILOTS HONORABLE SPIRIT TO A SURPRISINGLY EASY WIN IN THE GOLD COAST CUP (AUGUST 26)

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The Matthew Park trained Be Water My Friend made it back-to-back wins in a Class 3 Plate on August 20, when he rallied from near last place on the turn to storm home under a forceful ride by Mark Du Plessis to win going away by a 0.20 length margin.

Both of these wins came at Doomben over the 1050m trip.

Easy to back at $6.50, Du Plessis took Be Water My Friend back from the number eleven barrier draw at the break, but the son of headwater was still held four wide for much of the race.

Du Plessis did push Be Water My Friend along during the sweep to the home turn, where he cornered all of five wide with just over five lengths to make up, and Du Plessis stayed busy on the Park trained runner as it began to make up ground, gradually at first early in the straight … and then with a bit of a flourish over the final 200m. Read more ...

PARK / DU PLESSIS FIND THE KEY TO BE WATER MY FRIEND AS THE GELDING MAKES IT TWO WINS IN-A-ROW (AUGUST 20)

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The ‘beware’ sign should always appear in punter’s minds when a top jockey travels to a track for one ride.

They don’t win every time of course, but that scenario is always worth a ‘handle with care’ strategy, particularly when the price of the horse in question shortens pre-race … with both the jockey’s presence and the market support indicating a fair share of confidence in the runner getting the job done.

Such was the case with the Desleigh Forster trained Tres Redoute and Mark Du Plessis at Beaudesert in a Three-year-Old Maiden Handicap over 1100m. Read more ...

TELL-TALE SIGNS LEAD TO A WINNER (AUGUST 16)

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On the first Saturday of the new season (August 6) Mark du Plessis had to settle for two second places aboard Demon Delivera, who chased to finish within a length of the highly rated Tony Gollan trained Spiritualised, and Ahika, who followed up her Maiden win with a game runner-up finish behind the useful, now six-time winner, Liza With A Zee.

A week later, at Eagle Farm on August 13, Du Plessis set that record straight, claiming victory on the Tony and Maddysen Sears trained Dynamic Duo, who scored in a No Metro Wins Handicap over 1000m.

The Not A Single Doubt gelding, who started second favourite at $4,60, landed in fourth spot but, with the speed coming through on his outside, Dynamic Dup quickly went back to seventh place and then was inconvenienced when finding himself in restricted galloping room after the field had covered 300m … not the ideal opening Du Plessis would have hoped for with Dynamic Duo jumping from barrier two. Read more ...

DYNAMIC DUO OVERCOMES DIFFICULTIES IN THE RUNNING TO LAND HIS FOURTH CAREER SUCCESS (AUGUST 13)

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A new season!

Jockey Mark Du Plessis has a very good relationship with the Barry Baldwin stable and they successfully plotted a path to another victory together when the lightly raced, but clearly more than useful Reeanon saluted in a Fillies And Mares Class 2 Plate over 1200m at Ipswich on August 12.

Reeanon, who was only having her fifth career start here (Du Plessis has been on her in every one of her races) had given early notice of her ability when kicking off her career with a debut win at Doomben on June 1.

In the three starts that followed that debut win (all in town), Reeanon added a second place (when just touched off by Chatty Lady in a QTIS Three-Year-Old Fillies Handicap over 1350m – Chatty Lady would frank that form by winning again next time out) and a third place (in the same class, but this time over 1200m) to her list of credits … so she certainly had the credentials to win coming into the Ipswich contest where she would start as the second favourite at $3. TRead more ...

REEANON CONFIRMS HER PROMISE (AUGUST 12)

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Nine winners in July, for seven different stables, pushed Mark Du Plessis into tenth place in the Brisbane Jockey’s Premiership for the 2021/22 racing season.
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The strong work ethic and a desire to keep improving and, most of all, to keep on winning … has been the hallmark of the way Mark Du Plessis goes about his business and, he is currently holding his own on all of those fronts.

Du Plessis rode a double on Saturday, July 9 (Be Water My Friend and Delyth). He then won on I Am Winkles on Sunday July 10.

Three winners for the weekend equals a pretty good return but, two weeks later, Du Plessis would improve on that, pulling in four winners on the weekend of July 23 /24 which included his second Saturday double for the month of July (Puntura and Oakfield Twilight) and yet another double on the Sunday (Port Mourant and Ahika).

Improving … keeping on winning … it is hard to keep that rolling in such a competitive, challenging sport … but Du Plessis’s recent run of results clearly speak for themselves. Read more ...

MARK DU PLESSIS ON A ROLL ... CLAIMS HIS THIRD DOUBLE FOR THE MONTH OF JULY (JULY 24)

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The second leg of the Mark Du Plessis riding double on July 23 was filled with contention and more than a little heart-felt emotion with the race being awarded to Du Plessis’s mount Oakfield Twilight after a protest against Swanston, the first horse past the post, was upheld in the steward’s room.

The fact that Swanston was trained by Greg Kilner, whose daughter Leah is, thankfully, recovering from serious injuries following her terrible fall at Grafton, meant that there was already a lot of emotion in play straight after Swanston had held off Oakfield Twilight by the narrowest of margins on the line … and when all of that deeply heartfelt flow of feeling was interrupted by a protest, you could quite understand the connections of Oakfield Twilight becoming upset.

And things did not get any better for them when the protest, the basis of which they completely disagreed with, was upheld by stewards. Read more ...

EMOTIONS RUN HIGH AS OAKFIELD TWILIGHT GETS THE RACE AFTER PROTEST AGAINST SWANSTON IS UPHELD (JULY 23)

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Landing a Saturday Metropolitan double will always put a spring in your step and Mark Du Plessis would have been a happy man leaving Doomben on July 23 after scoring aboard Puntura and Oakfield Twilight … the first and the last leg of the Quaddie … given him his second Saturday Metropolitan double for the month of July.

Puntura came into a BM90 Handicap over 1615m off the back of an impressive win (when easily accounting for the useful Glitter Strip by 3.80 lengths) in a BM78 contest over 1400m at the Sunshine Coast three weeks earlier.

That Sunshine Coast win came on a heavy track, and Puntura got that racing surface again at Doomben which was one of the reasons for him starting favourite at $2.90 … a position on the betting boards that he ultimately fully justified.

Du Plessis had Puntura off and running at the break but, with the $18 outsider Wham wanting the lead more, Du Plessis had Puntura take the sit just off the leader, moving comfortably in second place just a length back as Wham took the field down the early part of the back straight. Read more ...

PUNTURA MAKES IT TWO-IN-A ROW (JULY 23)

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The Tina Cotsiopoulos trained Hopeful Star claimed the fourth win of her career under jockey Mark Du Plessis when she took out a Class 3 Handicap over 1690m at Ipswich on July 14.

Three runner-up finishes in her last four starts leading into this Ipswich assignment was recommendation enough for Hopeful Star to start favourite here, albeit narrowly, being quoted at $3.40 with the Helen Page trained Du Maurier on offer at $3.50.

Du Plessis was content to let the early speed go as he settled Hopeful Star, who jumped from barrier one, in fifth spot on the rail, some four to five lengths off the lead in the early part, a position he held at a comfortable gallop all the way through the sweep to the home turn.

As the $14 outsider Willinga Panache shot clear, trying to steal the race approaching the home turn, so too did several runners begin their runs on the outside of Hopeful Star, but that inside run was going to prove invaluable as Du Plessis saved ground, hugging the rail on Hopeful Star … waiting … before setting his mount about her business on straightening. Read more ...

DU PLESSIS GETS HOPEFUL STAR HOME IN A BUSY FINISH (JULY 14)

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The Sunshine Coast Poly Track was the venue for, amongst others, a Maiden Handicap over 1400m on July 10 … a race which saw the Alan Jones trained I Am Winkles, an emergency acceptor, claim her first win a start number ‘lucky thirteen.’

While showing the odd spark of form in her previous starts, the number of ordinary finishes that also peppered her formline left the punters without much confidence about her chances.

Throw in the fact that I Am Winkles had to jump from the widest barrier (number twelve) and her fate was sealed on the betting boards. She would start, unwanted by most, at $14.

Not that Mark Du Plessis let any of that negativity impact his ride.

The experienced rider, wisely, did not ask I Am Winkles to contest the early speed, choosing instead to gently ease the daughter of Trust In A Gust back before crossing as best he could. Read more ...

I AM WINKLES BREAKS HER DROUGHT (JULY 10)

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Any horse who wins three-in-a-row is doing very well and the Chris Munce trained Delyth put her name on that list on July 9 when she saluted in a Class 3 Handicap over 1200m at Doomben.

In doing so, the five-year-old daughter of Spill The Beans also gave jockey Mark Du Plessis a double on the day, the rrider having won earlier aboard Be Water My Friend.

Delyth’s winning sequence has began at Ipswich in a Maiden Handicap over 1200m on June 2 … the first time Du Plessis was given the ride.

You could say that was just a Maiden win, but, when you are winning by a 3.30 length margin, it does suggest there would be better things to come … and Delyth lived up to that hint of promise by again demolishing her opposition in her next start, increasing her winning margin to 3.80 lengths when taking out a Class 3 Handicap over 1200m in town (at Doomben) on June 17 with Du Plessis again doing the honours in the saddle. Read more ...

DELYTH COMPLETES AN IMPRESSIVE HAT TRICK OF WINS (JULY 9)

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Mark Du Plessis rode a double at Doomben on July 9 … scoring on Be Water My Friend and Delyth.

Du Plessis had ridden the lightly raced four-year-old Be Water My Friend in its first start for trainer Matthew Park at Doomben on June 15, where the son of Headwater ran a most creditable second place when first-up, finishing just 0.20 off the Kris Lees trained Rapid Response in a Class 1 Plate.

Three-and-a-half weeks later Du Plessis was back aboard Be Water My Friend over the same track and distance (at Doomben over 1050m), this time in a No Metro Wins Handicap in which he would make no mistake with the Park trained runner proving too good for the opposition. Read more ...

BE WATER MY FRIEND WINS FOR MATTHEW PARK (JULY 9)

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The Barry Baldwin trained Puntura and jockey Mark Du Plessis took no prisoners in the last race on the card on Caloundra Cup day at the Sunshine Coast on July 2.

The four-year-old gelding put daylight between himself and the opposition, blowing many punters out of the water when saluting at a starting price of $21 in a BM78 Handicap over 1400m.

It was just never a serious contest once the New Zealand bred son of Our Vespa was asked to fully stretch out halfway up the straight.

Puntura landed in then leading line and then settled in second place, just under two lengths behind the $21 outsider Broken Hero who headed the field early.

Broken Hero was still the leader in the sweep to the home turn, but Du Plessis now had Puntura only a length back and, once the field straightened, Puntura quickly dispatched Broken Hero, who tried to kick … but to no avail. Read more ...

PUNTURA TAKES NO PRISONERS - STRIKES AT 20-1 (JULY 2)

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Second is better than third … but it doesn’t always feel that way when the next win proves to be elusive for a frustrating period of time.

For Mark Du Plessis, that truth was driven home by … would you believe … a run of no less than four runner-up finishes over two race meetings (at Ipswich on June 30 and the Sunshine Coast on July 2) … before he bounced back … as he does … with a winner.

Port Mourant and Ahika (both for trainer Shaun Dwyer) and Toomuchinformation (for Graham Payne) all finished second at Ipswich with Toomuchinfirmation only being touched off by a nose and Port Mourant closing fast to only be beaten by 0.20 lengths.

At the Sunshine Coast … on Caloundra Cup day on July 2 … Du Plessis rode a ripper of a race in the Cup itself on the Bjorn Baker trained Arapaho to get the gelding home in a lonely second place, 2.80 lengths behind the smart Le Don De Vie and just under two lengths clear of the third placed Pappalino.

WHEN SECOND IS BETTER THAN THIRD ... EVEN IF IT MIGHT NOT ALWAYS FEEL THAT WAY AT THE TIME (JULY 2)

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Mark Du Plessis and trainer previously Michael Nolan enjoyed great success with the then stable star Kisukano in the first half of 2020.

After nine starts Kisukano was a six-time winner with Du Plessis having partnered the daughter of Belle Esprit in four of those victories … a run of results which included a big race success in the $500 000 Aquis QTIS Two-Year-old Jewel, when beating the likes of Rothfire.

The old firm was back together on Ipswich Cup Day (June 18) with Du Plessis being handed the reins of the Nolan trained Princess Bojack for the first time in the filly’s nineteen starts.

The race was a QTIS Three-Year-Old Handicap over 1100m and Princess Bojack came into the contest on the back of three promising placed finishes … two third places (perhaps significantly both at Ipswich) and a second place in town.

In spite of that show of some promise, Princess Bojack was totally unwanted in the betting going off at a starting price of $41.

She didn’t know that … and she put in an effort which made a mockery of her place on the betting boards.Read more ...

PRINCESS BOJACK WINS IN A THRILLER (JUNE 18)

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Six rides on Ipswich Cup Day (June 18) had set up a fruitful day for Mark Du Plessis.

Apart from that thrilling win on Princess Bojack, Du Plessis finished fourth in both the Eye Liner Stakes (aboard the Shaun Dwyer trained Last Chance) and the Gai Waterhouse Classic (aboard the Rex Lipp and Nick Hahn trained Tycoon Evie) as well as claiming a second place on Indiscreetly in the T L Cooney for trainer Danny Bougoure.Read more ...

FEATURE RACE PLACINGS ON IPSWICH CUP DAY KEEP THE BALL ROLLING FOR DU PLESSIS (JUNE 18)

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Mark Du Plessis was back in the winner’s enclosure on June 17 when piloting the Chris Munce trained Delyth to a facile win in a Class 2 Plate over 1200m.

A lightly raced four-year-old, Delyth had shed her maiden ticket in her previous start over 1200m in heavy going after showing steady progress with a third and then a second place in the two starts before that … and she took the next step in style here under a confident ride by Du Plessis.

For the first time in her last three starts Delyth (the $2.50 favourite) drew a good barrier and that proved useful as Du Plessis landed Delyth just off the speed, although he did have to keep pushing the daughter of Spill The Beans out, to a degree, to ensure that she held the rail position going down the back stretch and, although more relaxed in the sweep to the home turn, Du Plessis still had to be very vigilant as Delyth was now racing fairly tight, right on the heels of the leaders.Read more ...

DELYTH MAKES IT BACK-TO-BACK WINS (JUNE 17)
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A winning double at Doomben on June 1 provided jockey Mark Du Plessis with a very welcome success.

“It was needed, let me tell you,”admitted Du Plessis, who has had a frustrating time lately over the Queensland Winter Carnival during which most of the prime rides went to visiting jockeys.

But apart from the satisfaction the two gave him, Du Plessis had someone else first and foremost in his mind.

“Today especially, having a good day was important, and I would like to dedicate this to an old mentor of mine, Brian Muscutt, who sadly passed away yesterday in the UK,” said Du Plessis.

“Mr Muscutt was also like a father-figure to me and, as I say, I would like to dedicate these two to him. I didn’t mention it in the post-race interview because it would have been a bit difficult to say. Read more ...

DU PLESSIS DEDICATES HIS DOUBLE TO BRIAN MUSCUTT (JUNE 1)
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Mark Du Plessis completed a race to race double at Doomben on June 1 when, after saluting on Reeanon in the third race, he came out and won race four on Kipling’s Journey for the training partnership of Peter and Will Hulbert.

That race was a BM65 Handicap over 2040 metres in which Kipling’s Journey started as a $3.10 favourite on the back of a promising runner-up finish in his previous start over 2150m in a Three-Year-Old Handicap over 2010m on the Poly Track at the Sunshine Coast.

This time Kipling’s Journey, who put a Maiden victory behind his name back in December, would make no mistake in securing win number two. Read more ...

KIPLING'S JOURNEY FOLLOWS A WINNING PATH (JUNE 1)

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By his own honest admission, Mark Du Plessis needed a winner and, as is so often the case when a dry run comes to an end, it didn’t end with one winner, but with two, as Du Plessis landed a double on the first day of June.

Reeanon, who was on debut, provided the first strike for Du Plessis.

Trainer Barry Baldwin had been very patient with the daughter Scissor Kick.

Reeanon did not race as a two-year-old and she had two trials very much apart (on October 26, 2021, and March 15, 2022) before being set up for her debut outing which came in a QTIS Three-Year-Old Fillies Maiden Plate over 1200m. Read more ...

REEANON GIVES MARK DU PLESSIS THE FIRST LEG OF A DOUBLE AT DOOMBEN (JUNE 1)

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The Queensland Winter Carnival means different things to different people.

For jockeys, like Mark Du Plessis, who are not linked directly to any big stables, the race for rides becomes a really uneven contest during this time with many local jockeys becoming collateral damage in that regard due to the significant influx of the southern raiders. Read more ...

WINTER CARNIVAL TIME - IT MEANS DIFFERENT THINGS TO DIFFERENT PEOPLE (MAY30)

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It is a tough gig being a jockey.

Apart from the obvious demands on a jockey’s lifestyle … the fitness requirements, burdened as it usually is by dietary restrictions and of course the dangers inherent in being asked to guide and control a 500kg racehorse at speed when racing at close quarters with other runners … there is also the simple human trait that affects all of us in one way or another - Confidence!

Confidence is one of a jockey’s prime weapons … but, like you and me, it is not something that can be forced or faked. You either genuinely have it or you don’t, and it can legitimately come and go in waves depending on the adverse or favourable circumstances that apply at the time.Read more ...

TOUGHING IT OUT ... DOING WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO (MAY28)

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A week after winning on the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained Major Artie on the opening day of the Queensland Winter Carnival at Eagle Farm, jockey Mark Du Plessis scored a second carnival winner when guiding Stardome to victory in the Gold Coast Cup over 2400m at Aquis Park on May 7.

This made Du Plessis one of only three riders (with Jimmy Orman and Ben Thompson) to ride winners at both of the first two carnival fixtures.Read more

ANOTHER CARNIVAL WINNER FOR DU PLESSIS (MAY 7)

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Mark Du Plessis guided home seven winners for six different trainers during the month of April … a satisfactory return for his first month back in the saddle after short break and ankle surgery.

The trainer he won twice for was Shaun Dwyer … and both of those successes came aboard the Tycoon Ruler gelding Last Chance.

“I’ve only had those two rides for Shaun Dwyer,” said Du Plessis. “I’d obviously heard a lot about Shaun before. He was training here when I first came to Australia in 2007 … then he went to Melbourne and now he has come back.

“He is very easy to ride for … I know I can say that because I’ve had two rides and two wins for him … and he is obviously a very good trainer.

“You do need a bit of luck, but to get an older horse like Last Chance into that winning frame of mind like Shaun has done is really a testament to how well he looks after his horses. Read more

DU PLESSIS: A SATISFACTORY SET OF RESULTS FOR APRIL (APR 30)

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Five weeks after resuming riding following surgery to his ankle, Mark Du Plessis is happy with the way the ankle is standing up to the rigours of race riding.

Any surgery is a surgery, so a good outcome is seldom fully guaranteed, but Du Plessis is happy to report the positive progress that he has been made over the last month.

“The ankle was very sensitive for probably the first thirty or forty rides,” acknowledged Du Plessis, “but that was expected. The surgeon said that was going to happen.
“Now it just feels a lot better.

‘They did a great job.”

Du Plessis has also been following a gym routine he started when he took that short break away from racing, and that activity is serving him well on a number of levels.Read more

FIGHTING FIT AND RARING TO GO (APR 30)
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Stradbroke Season … six Saturdays of Carnival Racing in Brisbane … kicked off at Eagle Farm on April 30 and the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained Major Artie and jockey Mark Du Plessis were the first to claim a spot on the scoreboard when winning the opening event on the card, an Open Handicap over 1825m.

The four-year-old son of Artie Schiller started a $2.30 favourite, but he had yet to win beyond 1600m and was stepping up in class as well having his first run on the Eagle Farm track, factors which Du Plessis had to take into account when plotting his race strategy.

Having said that, Du Plessis made his intentions clear from the very first stride, jumping Major Artie into an immediate lead, a position he retained at a comfortable gallop going down the back stretch a length-and-a-half ahead of Trevelyan ($5.50) who had crossed to settle in second spot.

Du Plessis continued to rate his horse well in front all through the sweep to the home turn and, when the attacks started to come just before straightening, Du Plessis, likewise, started given his mount more rein.

IT'S MAJOR ARTIE ALL THE WAY (APR 30)

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In spite of being a last start track and distance winner, the Shaun Dwyer trained Last Chance was roundly neglected in the betting, starting as the joint second longest priced runner at odds of $21 in the eleven-horse field.

In that pervious win … in an Open Quality Handicap over the 1350m trip on sift going … Last Chance ($18) showed great commitment in a pressurised finish under a determined and focussed ride from Mark Du Plessis to claim no less than his sixteenth career success (from fifty starts).

This time Last Chance dropped in class to a BM90 Handicap over 1350m … and there were seemingly some good reasons for punters to question his ability.

Being down in class was fine, but it came with a jump in weight from 52.5kg to 59.5kg. A wide draw, which Last Chance dealt with very well last time, was again a possible complicating factor here … and then there was the fact that Last Chance would be racing on a heavy track for the first time.

But Last Chance and Du Plessis proved the doubters wrong! Read more ...

LAST CHANCE MAKES IT BACK-TO-BACK VICTORIES, AGAIN SCORING AT LONG ODDS (APR 23)

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In his two previous rides for trainer Chris Munce since turning to riding following a short break, Mark Du Plessis had claimed a second and a third place, both on the five-year-old mare Valley Of Dreams.

This time, when the two-year-old, Spirit Of Boom colt Allude stepped back into race action in a QTIS Two-Year-Old Handicap over 1000m at Eagle Farm on April 16, the Munce / Du Plessis team would take no prisoners.

Allude was first-up here, resuming for the first time in three months after being spelled following his two race first preparation which included a debut run in no lesser company than the Group 3 B J McLachlan Stakes … a race won by subsequent Magic Millions 2yo Classic winner Coolangatta.

Allude finished 5.10 lengths back that day at a starting price of $101 before coming out and running third to another Magic Millions contender in Mishani Spartan at the Gold Coast on January 8 where he started at odds of $20.

There were no such favours on the betting boards this time around though with Allude being firmly entrenched as second favourite at $4.80 behind the $2.10 favourite Glamborgini. Read more ...

THIS COULD BE ONE FOR THE NOTEBOOK (APR 16)

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Just as he had done the weekend before, jockey Mark Du Plessis followed up a Saturday winner with a winner at the Sunshine Coast on Sunday.

It came in the opening race on the card … a QTIS Two-Year-Old Maiden Plate over 1400m … in which Du Plessis partnered the Peter Lindeberg trained Better Strings in a small field of only four runners.

The betting told one story and the race told a completely different story.

Better Strings’ three opponents filled the top three places on the betting boards … Roadtrip was posted at $2.15, Paienbara ($3.10) and Classique Gal ($3.90). Better Strings seemed to be almost an afterthought at $11,00, a full seven points behind any other runner!

But you know what they say … the smaller the field …. Read more

THE SMALLER THE FIELD ... (APR 10)

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When a horse gets up in a super pressurised finish where less than two lengths covers the first eight runners across the line, you know that both horse and jockey has done well.

When you add in the fact that the winner jumped from a number eleven barrier draw and that the $18 odds about his chances suggested that punters were not expecting too much from the horse, the taste of victory becomes even more sweeter.

That was the story of the Shaun Dwyer trained Last Chance and jockey Mark Du Plessis, whose efforts prevailed in a thriller when taking out an Open Quality Handicap over 1350m at Doomben on April 9. read more ...

LAST CHANCE PREVAILS IN A THRILLER (APR 9)

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In his first nine days back in the saddle there was a satisfying demand for Du Plessis’ services.

The nineteen rides Du Plessis had from March 26 until April 3 originated from no less than sixteen trainers … to all of which Du Plessis acknowledges a debt of gratitude at this important stage of his career. Read more ...

"I'll JUST HAVE TO KEEP WORKING HARD" (APR 3)

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A day after saluting on Tyresa under the Metropolitan spotlight, Du Plessis was at it again winning on the Stewart Mackinnon trained Mikki Rose in a QTIS Two-Year-Old Handicap over 1000m at the Sunshine Coast.

Just like Tyresa, Mikki Rose, who drew some support to start at $6.50, also had a short-priced favourite to contend with … this time in the form of Jamaican Rumba who jumped at the restrictive odds of $1.28.

Jamaican Rumba took up the running from the break, but Du Plessis had no intention of allowing the favourite free rein at the front and he set Mikki Rose about tracking the leader with some meaning, lurking just over a length back on the favourite’s outside, just letting him know he was there. Read more ...

'LITTLE BALL OF MUSCLE' MIKKI ROSE UPSETS SHORT-PRICED FAVOURITE AT THE SUNSHINE COAST (APR 3)

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Just a week after getting back onto the racing scene, Du Plessis announced his return in the best way possible, taking out a metropolitan win aboard the Kelly Schweida trained Tyresa in a QTIS Two-Year-Old Handicap over 1400m at Eagle Farm.

It was a gem of a ride by Du Plessis who showed the benefit of all of his experience when guiding the chestnut daughter of Written Tycoon, who was unwanted in the betting at $16, on a winning path.Read More ...

PROMISING 2YO TYRESA SCORES A STRONG WIN (APR 2)

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Mark Du Plessis returned to race riding on March 26 at Doomben.

Du Plessis had been out of action since last riding on February 23, using his time out to undergo surgery on a troublesome ankle issue which had been bothering him for some time … and also to undertake a body strength and conditioning program to help his fitness reach and stay at the peak level of performance required from any jockey wanting to compete at the top level of their profession.Read more ...

DU PLESSIS RETURNS AFTER A MONTH'S BREAK (APR 1)

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It has been said, many times, that somebody is going to come back ‘bigger and better’ after a break, but the difference between those who conquer that challenge and those who simply talk about it, is the hard yards that have to be followed if that goal is to be achieved.

Jockey Mark Du Plessis, for one, is currently putting in that special, extra effort required to meet those demands and he looks to be very much on the right road to meet his target as he nears a return to the saddle a month after having his last race ride at the Sunshine Coast on February 26.

In his time off, Du Plessis has focussed are two primary fitness issues. Read more ...

MARK DU PLESSIS - MARK II. GETTING READY TO RUMBLE (MAR 22)

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