Hopes of a fairytale Group 1 win for Emily Finnegan have been dashed, with the popular jockey replaced by Jamie Melham on Mating Call in next week’s G1 Australasian Oaks.
Finnegan scored the biggest win of her career when she partnered the Dan Clarken and Oopy MacGillivray-trained filly to a brilliant victory in the G3 Auraria Stakes at Morphettville.
On Monday, Clarken told Betsy that he would leave the decision about who would ride Mating Call in the $1 million G1 assignment to the filly’s breeder and managing owner Robert Hill-Smith.
The trainer, who famously backed in unheralded rider Lauren Stojakovic on his Blue Diamond winner, Miracles of Life, a decade ago, said he would’ve been comfortable if Hill-Smith chose to keep Finnegan on the horse.
But less than 24 hours later, Finnegan confirmed that she had been told by connections that she won’t be aboard the daughter of Brazen Beau in the Oaks.
Melham rode Mating Call in two starts last spring, including when third in the G2 Edward Manifold Stakes over 1600m at Flemington.
