Nugent makes impact at Oakbank
Teo Nugent has made a winning Oakbank cameo, landing the Hills Railway Stakes aboard Zoupurring in a tight finish over local hope Great Maximus.
Victoria’s busiest jockey Teo Nugent made a winning South Australian cameo on Saturday, taking out the feature sprint at the iconic Oakbank Easter Carnival.
Nugent landed the Listed Hills Railway Stakes aboard the Michael Hickmott-trained Zoupurring, edging out local star Jake Toeroek on Great Maximus.
It was Nugent’s first ride at the unique Adelaide Hills circuit, although he had visited the Carnival as a youngster when his father trained jumps horses.
“I came here many years ago, I might have been nine or 10, dad had a few runners,” Nugent said.
“There were a few more people here that day but it’s still a good turnout today and it’s nice to be on the other side of the fence riding today, it’s a great place.
“Michael (Hickmott) booked me for six rides earlier in the week and this horse was definitely the standout of the bunch.
“He got a flyer out of the machines and he got a beautiful run in transit, he settled in the one-one.
“I was a bit wary with how wide they were tracking on the corner, I didn’t want to go that wide myself so I cut the corner on him.
“He was super strong late.”
Nugent sits seventh on the Victorian jockeys’ premiership this season with 63 wins from 648 rides, almost 100 rides more than any other jockey inside the top 20.
It was a second Railway Stakes win for Hickmott, who claimed the feature with Taunting in 2023.
Zoupurring’s stablemate Maracourt was narrowly beaten in one of the day’s other features, The Vintage, by Steve Theodore’s mare Fine Future.
