Jockey Michael Dee’s memorable week gets better with Flemington four-timer

Jockey Michael Dee capped off one of his most memorable weeks by winning four races at Flemington, including the $175,000 Deane Lester Flemington Cup (2800m) with Hit The Road Jack. Dee made a comeback to the saddle this week after becoming engaged to Mikaela Lawrence, who is also a former jockey. Dee was fortunate to have picked up the ride on Hit The Road Jack after hoop Blaike McDougall was stuck in Mildura due to a flight cancellation in Friday’s IT shutdown. Hit The Road Jack ($8.50 on TABtouch) immediately found himself in midfield in the feature, about five lengths from the pacemaker Senor Uno ($23). Dee pulled the Symon Wilde-trained seven-year-old outside, approaching the turn, and quickly covered the leaders at the 500m mark. With 350m to go, Dee committed for home with Dashing Duchess ($26) fighting valiantly to his outside. However, Hit The Road Jack, with the benefit of a 3200m hurdle win at his last start, dipped deep into his stamina reserves to come away and win by three-quarters-of-a-length. Dee paid homage to respected late form analyst Deane Lester, whom the race was named for. “It’s an honour to win this race named after Deane Lester. I had a lot of help from him and it’s a privilege to have won it,” Dee said. Meanwhile, Jojo Was A Man rebounded to form to take the $200,000 Listed Toyota Forklifts Winter Challenge (1500m) at Rosehill. Jojo Was A Man ($31) was sent into fourth place trailing the speed by jockey Reece Jones, with the leading quartet breaking away by a few lengths from their rivals. Produced at the 400m, Jojo Was A Man sustained a stretch sprint to see off the late closing More Secrets by a half-length. Trainer John Thompson said the improved track conditions in Sydney made the difference for the form turnaround. “He has been going well so it has been pretty frustrating,” Thompson told RS NewsWire. “It has been too wet. He gets through it all right, but all his gallops going into his last runs were on really heavy grasses, and Reece (Jones) galloped him on Tuesday on a somewhat drier grass, and the difference was incredible. “Even Reece said, ‘he will be hard to beat on Saturday’. “You could see him today - he accelerated; that’s the difference.” Thompson had two runners at Randwick on Wednesday for two winners as his team begins to hit top form. “It has been a terrible year for me - a lot of seconds and placings - but the last month or so, it has started to kick in,” Thompson said. “Hopefully it keeps going.”