Mint chance for Leah Martyn up north

By Jordan Gerrans

Hoop Leah Martyn didn’t think she would be competing in feature events during the Northern Queensland Winter Racing Carnival, let alone winning them.

The Sunshine Coast-based apprentice rider claimed the largest win of her young career on Saturday afternoon when she landed the Townsville Lightning aboard Russian Mint for Lindsay Hatch.

The emerging jockey says the $35,000 event was by far the biggest thrill of her three-and-a-bit riding tenure so far.

While the Townsville Lightning title goes to the top of Martyn’s riding resume for now, it may only last at the level for about seven days.

The natural lightweight has been booked to partner Jeffrey Caught’s runners in Saturday’s Townsville Cup and Cleveland Bay Handicap, which carry a combined purse of $250,000.

The Lightning, Cup and Cleveland Bay are all non-claiming races for apprentices, making Martyn’s opportunities even more significant.

“For Jeffrey to put me on, that is great,” Martyn said of her opportunities on the big Townsville stage. 

“He asked me two weeks ago if I was willing to come up to Townsville to ride his three horses and he was happy with how I rode them and he has kept me on since then.”

Caught’s Third Realm is set for Saturday’s Cup over 2000 metres while stablemate He's Xceptional ran third in the recent Chairman’s Sprint at Townsville ahead of the Cleveland Bay.

“Third Realm and He's Xceptional both have had a couple of runs under their belt now coming into Saturday and they will only improve from that,” the apprentice hoop said. 

“I was super happy with how He's Xceptional went last start, he was stuck wide and still ran third.

“Third Realm pulled up well from his run the other day.”

The Caught team has form on their side in the Townsville Cup, lifting the coveted hometown prize with Fortification back in 2021.

The 22-year-old admits that before the carnival started, she did not think she would be offered the riding opportunities she has been granted in recent weeks.

“It definitely was a thrill, especially seeing as it was during the carnival,” the young rider said of Saturday's Lightning romp.

“It was a great opportunity to be in the race after Lindsay decided to put me on with a horse he thought could win. And, to win the race, that was even better.

“The feeling when I got halfway up the straight was even better again.

“Lindsay has given me a couple of rides now up north and down here at Toowoomba, which has been great.

“He keeps supporting me now and obviously has an opinion of me as a rider.”

Russian Mint's owner John Horan praised Martyn's skills. 

“Leah rode Blazerro for us to win on Mackay Cup day and she’s an up-and-coming rider who I can totally recommend," Horan said. 

Martyn has 27 career winners to her name with the bulk of those coming in the just completed 2024-25 season where she collected 23 at a strike-rate at a tick over nine percent.

The hoop – who is indentured to Garnett Taylor - is hopeful her higher-profile rides during the carnival will lead to more opportunities across the Sunshine State.

Martyn won aboard Blazerro for Hatch at Mackay on their local Cup day recently which played a role in her picking up the job on Russian Mint in Saturday’s Townsville sprint feature.

The up-and-coming jockey had to contend with the eight gate as a starting position but from then on, it was smooth sailing as the gelding scored by more than two lengths as he was eased up near the line.

“I did have a bit of a tricky gate and that can go either way,” she said.

“Once I came out, I did so positively and I ended up getting a sweet ride straight in behind them. It is not every day you get a nice run like that.

“We travelled well in behind them and once I asked him to get going, he kept finding and let down really well.

“He did it all himself pretty much, I think I used my stick at the top of the straight and that was it, I just put it away from there.”

Long-time Cluden Park broadcaster Tony Wode referred to Russian Mint’s performance as ‘donkey licking’ his opposition in a commanding effort.

Hatch – who operates a North Queensland satellite stable – has the option to go further north now with Russian Mint, with the upcoming FNQ legs of the carnival offering rich sprinting events such as the local Lightning and Cairns Newmarket.

Looking ahead to Saturday’s Cup program, Martyn will also ride Blazerro in the Benchmark 65 Handicap over 2000 metres.