Talented Victorian apprentice Ryan Houston will make a flying visit to Perth this weekend to ride gun three-year-old Repossession for co-trainers Chris and Michael Gangemi.
With a dearth of 3kg claiming apprentices in Perth who can ride at Saturday meetings, the Gangemi brothers turned to Houston to help alleviate the weight stress on Repossession.
Houston’s good form in the saddle hasn’t escaped the attention of the Gangemi’s and with his 3kg claim, Repossession will carry 59kg in his 1000m Pinjarra Scarpside encounter.
Repossession, the number one seed for the Gangemi stable, lumped 60kg for jockey Brad Parnham when scoring a brilliant first up victory at Belmont.
Michael Gangemi said Houston arrives in Perth in winning form and armed with glowing references from trusted sources ahead of his interstate sojourn.
After consulting Perth’s chief steward, Gangemi said he had no option but to go east to secure an apprentice to partner Repossession in his second run back this preparation.
“I rang Brad Lewis asking for permission for Zephen (Johnston-Porter) to ride him, but he made it very clear he doesn’t have the power to allow that to happen,” Gangemi told Racing WA.
“Not one apprentice jockey in Perth has qualified to ride on a Saturday.
“We have them for Wednesday’s but not Saturday’s and it’s been going on for a while.
“I was hoping Mr Lewis would have the powers to overrule it, but he said he doesn’t.
“I said if that’s the case I’m going to have to go east because I’m not having my up-and-coming star carrying 62kg.
“We put our feelers out and spoke to a few people and before we knew it, we had Ryan who has come highly recommended.
“We are very, very happy to have him aboard, one of the best, if not the best 3kg claiming apprentices going around at the moment.
“He rode a winner at Echuca on Tuesday, rode a winner Friday night, a winner Saturday at Caulfield and Moe Sunday.
“He’s in some good form and is apprenticed to Simon Zahra, who was generous and good in lending him to us.”
The Gangemi’s have a massive opinion of Repossession and believe he is definitely an Ascot carnival horse later this year.
The Gangemi’s purchased Repossession for $62,500 at the 2023 Perth Magic Millions Sale and after five starts he holds three wins.
He led all the way to win the Placid Ark Prelude (1000m) before finishing fourth in the Listed Placid Ark (1200m) when under a fitness cloud.
In an ominous warning to rivals, Gangemi says Repossession has improved and strips fitter after winning first up with class three weeks ago.
“He’s come through his first up run brilliant when he was outside the leader underdone,” Gangemi said.
“We’re very happy.”
Houston won’t be hanging around taking in the Perth sights for too long after Pinjarra.
He goes straight back to Melbourne to fulfill obligations at a big meeting at Mornington on the Public Holiday Monday.
From a non-racing background, Houston entered racing two years ago and this season has tallied 27 winners including nine in town at a strike rate of 22 per cent.
Julio Santarelli