A champion jumps jockey-turned-trainer says he finds spectating "more nerve-wracking" than riding after enjoying the biggest win in his young training career on Thursday, May 2.
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Mystery Island, trained by 2020 Grand Annual-winning jockey Shane Jackson, produced a blistering run to take out the 2350-metre Sungold Milk Warrnambool Cup with hoop Harry Coffey onboard.
The seven-year-old crossed the line 4.5-lengths clear of the Stephen Miller-trained No Apology in second, with Little Mix placing third on the final day of the 2024 TAB Warrnambool May Racing Carnival.
The Irish-born, Warrnambool-based Jackson was overjoyed with the win - his third as a trainer, all three of which have come with Mystery Island.
"That's unbelievable," he said.
"(It's) a huge thrill, local cup and it's going to take a couple of days for this to sink in."
Jackson, who won the Woodford Cup on New Year's Eve 2023 with Mystery Island, said riding was "completely different" than watching from the sidelines as a trainer.
"I'm more nervous watching them," he said.
"I was in control when I was riding them but it's more nerve-wracking and the work that goes on behind the scenes, the staff, the early mornings, it makes it all worthwhile."
The Irishman made his training debut at Caulfield in June 2022 and has horses at Lindsey Smith's stables in Warrnambool where he is foreman.
Jackson lauded Smith for his involvement in his training career.
"He encouraged me to get my licence and he handed this horse over to me, he was training him originally," he said.
"We just work together, we work as a big team and it's a huge thrill."
Winning the cup was a thrill for the Swan Hill-raised and based Coffey, who has a passion for country racing after following dad Austy, a long-time trainer, into the sport.
The 28-year-old's next task is to try and win his home-town cup for the first time in June.
"I have had (a ride in the Swan Hill Cup) nearly every year, it's 12 or 13 years straight," he said.
"It is just a funny story - I have won a lot of country cups but haven't been able to get my own yet."
Coffey said being a country-based hoop meant he understood the travel toll the sport required from its participants.
His dad drove him to Warrnambool and was among the crowd celebrating his win.
"It is a lot of hard work because there's a lot of travelling but you get to ride for great people and I am a country person at heart (who) was going to races with my dad as a kid, so you know a lot of people," Coffey said.
Coffey said he was pleased to win for Jackson and Smith.
"I love riding winners for good people, especially when there's all the family involved and how awesome they've won their home-town cup," he said.
"I love riding winners for families who are involved in racing because I am from that scenario with my dad training and battling away.
"My dad and Lindsey are quite good mates. He comes and stays with us in Swan Hill."