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Woulda Thought Stubby Would Be Stuck on 99

TOP jockey Jason Holder has six chances to land that elusive 100th winner for 2019-20 when the SA racing season winds up at Balaklava on Wednesday.

Holder has had a brilliant season in the saddle and sits behind only Todd Pannell and Kayla Crowther on the South Australian Jockey Premiership while his horses have earnt in excess of $3.3m, up $1m on last season.

But it has been a lean month for the talented rider. He’s ridden just one winner since a double at Balaklava on the July 1.

Holder has six rides including each-way chances for his old boss Leon Macdonald and Andrew Gluyas aboard White Heath and Stately Star while it could come down to the final race of the season when he partners Woulda Thought So for South East horseman Dean Saxon.

“I hope it doesn’t come down to the last race, but even if it does, that won’t worry Jason,’’ Saxon said.

“He’s a gun, he used to ride for me as kid but obviously he’s linked to the big stables.

“But you only have to look at how he rode during the carnival, he rode Dalasan and Gytrash as good as Roy Higgins would have, he deserves to have one two Group 1s,’’ he said.

For Saxon, the stables solid late season form has been the reward for huge effort.

Saxon is a regular border hopper from his Millicent stable, but COVID-19 has meant his Land Cruiser has been forced to clock up even more miles in 2020.

“It’s hard work! I would usually do about 100,000 kms in a normal year but that is going to be a lot more this year,’’ Saxon said.

“My Land Cruiser isn’t three years and I’ve already done 280,000 kms, I actually called the mechanic to book in for another service and he said ‘I haven’t even sent the bill for the last one’.

“In the past 10 days I have been to Morphettville Parks, Murray Bridge, Gawler and now back to Balaklava, that’s closing in a 4000 kms, along with the work at home.

“We’ve been getting a good quid and lucky I like coffee, that’s what we have to do,’’ he said.

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