Social media came hard for apprentice Jabez Johnstone after two beaten favourites at Caulfield on Saturday.
Decalogue and Ten Commandments were both short in betting, both overraced and both were beaten. The blowtorch quickly went on Johnstone, but before piling into one of the most talented young riders in Australian racing, it is worth reading the stewards’ report and understanding exactly how Caulfield played.
Johnstone has been killing it since moving to Melbourne to ride for the Ciaron Maher stable. He is striking at 22 per cent from his past 100 rides and an extraordinary 28 per cent from his past 50, adding another Caulfield double on Saturday aboard Angels Fury and Signature Scent.
His 3kg claim has become one of the hottest properties in racing and, unfortunately for the competition, Maher has largely kept the winter cheat code to himself.
Johnstone is aggressive, rides on instinct and has a genuine will to win. Given the freedom to make a difference, he can be exactly that on a horse’s back, which is what made the criticism of his two beaten favourites on Saturday so interesting.
The biggest influence on results at Caulfield wasn’t the track itself, but a strong northerly wind that blows directly into the horses’ faces down the side straight and up the sprint chute from the 1200m start. It notoriously makes life difficult for horses racing on speed and exposed without cover.
This image shows the impact of a northerly wind at Caulfield
As the day went on, jockeys increasingly appeared to ride to the wind rather than the horse underneath them. I understand why. When the wind is howling, no one wants to be the one punching into it, but the reluctance to face the breeze contributed to muddling tempos and several horses overracing badly as riders desperately searched for cover.
Ultimately, those race shapes only played further into the hands of horses settling off speed with cover. When the leaders crawl into a headwind, those back in the field aren’t being stretched and remain close enough approaching the home bend. The moderate early tempo also makes it easier for them to peel into wider lanes and build momentum.
Only one horse won all day after being forced to face the breeze. That was Johnstone’s first winner, the highly talented Angels Fury, who could be a star when she returns as a three-year-old filly. It is also worth noting the northerly only strengthened as the meeting went on.
That context matters when assessing Johnstone’s two beaten favourites.
Decalogue raced keenly through the early and middle stages of race six after Johnstone restrained the gelding in search of cover. The stewards’ report is particularly telling.
Johnstone explained he had been instructed to ride Decalogue in a handy position with cover. When crossed near the 1300m, his mount shifted into a three-wide position before Johnstone elected to go back in behind the leaders near the 1200m to comply with those instructions.
He then told stewards that, in hindsight, given the slow tempo, he should have allowed Decalogue to stride forward and obtain the lead.
In other words, his instinct was telling him one thing while the stable instructions ringing in his ears were telling him another.
That’s a tough position for a young apprentice trying to make his way with Australia’s most powerful stable. Does he do exactly as his master wants, or throw the instructions out the window and ride the race unfolding in front of him?
My gut feel has always been that jockeys should be given fewer instructions, rather than more. They are the ones in the field of battle, feeling the horse underneath them, assessing the tempo and making decisions in real time. Races rarely play out exactly as they look on a speed map.
If punters want to take the blowtorch to anyone over the Decalogue ride, the stable has to wear its share of the criticism. Ultimately, Johnstone rode the horse the way he had been instructed.
Ichnusa upsets his stablemate and makes it two from two in style!
Ciaron Maher has another promising 3YO stayer 📈@jacko_radley @cmaherracing pic.twitter.com/yZBvf1VdAl
— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) July 11, 2026
Ten Commandments was different and Johnstone deserves more scrutiny for that ride.
Again, the gelding raced keenly through the early and middle stages, this time while leading. Johnstone conceded to stewards that, given the racing manners of Ten Commandments and the fact he was racing keenly, he should have allowed the gelding to stride and travel more comfortably.
He made a mistake, but there was also maturity in putting his hand up and acknowledging it. Johnstone didn’t hide behind the wind, the horse or the race shape. He admitted he should have made a different decision.
The best young riders learn quickly and I suspect the next time Johnstone finds himself in that position, his natural racing instincts will take over. He’ll take the bull by the horns and probably make his rivals look silly.
I’ve highlighted Johnstone as a rising star and Saturday hasn’t changed my opinion. This is an aggressive young jockey with outstanding racing instincts and a great will to win. His 3kg claim is a weapon, but his greatest asset might be his ability to make things happen.
There will be mistakes. Ten Commandments was one. That’s part of the development of any apprentice, but the last thing anyone should do is coach the instinct out of Johnstone.
Give him the information, give him an understanding of the horse and then trust him to ride the race in front of him.
Johnstone wore plenty of heat for two beaten favourites at Caulfield. On one, he admitted he got it wrong. On the other, he did what he was told.
There’s a pretty important difference.
