Graham Fischer

TEENAGE apprentice jockey Jacob Opperman had a wonderful day on a rainy Wednesday at the Gawler & Barossa Jockey Club’s latest race meeting.
Opperman, the 16-year-old from Mount Gambier who mixes race riding with going to school, rode two winners, and dead-heated for first in another.
Having only began riding in April, he already has ridden 15 winners.
Opperman dead-heated for first on Ken’s Thunder, trained by Stuart Padman, and ironically, the other dead-heater was Mulga Lil which is trained by Opperman’s father, Jamie, and was ridden by Caitlin Jones.
Jones, who also had a win on Extra Mile for the Jolly training team, protested, alleging interference up the home straight, but after a lengthy hearing it was dismissed.
Opperman then went on to win on Hateech for Morphettville trainers Richard and Chantelle Jolly, before taking out the final event on Magic Phantom for trainer Jon O’Connor.
Both Richard Jolly and O’Connor are former highly successful jockeys, and praised Opperman for his talent.
Magic Phantom is part-owned by former Adelaide Crow footballer, and now media personality, Stephen Rowe.
Apart from her deadheat, Caitlin Jones also had a win on Extra Mile for the Jolly training team.
The next Gawler & Barossa Jockey Club meeting will be on Wednesday, September 2.