Claim to fame: Winning wave has Vitler riding high

The Australian

4 hours ago

Speaking to trainers in the know in southeast Queensland, 'confidence' is the buzz word when it comes to appraising rising apprentice Cobi Vitler.
The 25-year-old Englishman is impressing the right people in the region and he's being rewarded with more rides in the city.
Of course his 3kg claim helps, but Vitler is showing enough promise to suggest he will still be well in the mix for the better rides when his apprenticeship ends.
Deagon trainer Jack Bruce heaped praise on Vitler after he patiently steered eight-year-old Galifianakis to victory in a Benchmark 78 (1600m) at Eagle Farm last Saturday.
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And in an extraordinary sidenote, Vitler became the ninth different jockey to win on Galifianakis from nine victories since the gelding broke his maiden status in February 2023 at the Gold Coast, with Corey Bayliss onboard.
Read: Stable switch: Exciting Queensland filly bound for Victoria
'He's riding really well, he's got confidence and he's being utilised by different trainers,' Bruce said about Vitler, who has been working in Australia for seven years under astute trainers such as Brett Cavanough in Scone and Lindsay Hatch in Toowoomba.
'I thought he rode Galifianakis confidently and patiently. He did a really good job.
'While he's got that good claim, it's particularly helpful. He first came on to my radar when he became an apprentice to Lindsay Hatch and started riding up here.'
Vitler rode two winners on a Saturday meeting at Eagle Farm last month - Lead Me On for Chris Anderson and mare Wanda Rox for his mentor Hatch.
'He had to throw instructions out the gate when she was slow to go and he rode her good, I was very happy with him,' Hatch said about Vitler's effort on Wanda Rox.
And then the critical word that all athletes need for success is mentioned again.
'He's riding with confidence and that helps,' Hatch added.
'When you ride winners, you ride with confidence. He's a good kid.'
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Vitler has six rides, all with different trainers, at a mid-week meeting at Doomben on Wednesday as demand for his services climbs.
'Like any apprentice, when they have a claim that makes them particularly valuable and often at that stage of their career when they're riding well and with confidence, they're certainly worth utilising,' Bruce said.
'For example Galifianakis at 63kg, I basically ran a Benchmark 85 horse in a 78 race and met at fairly level weights so that's the appeal of utilising his services.
'Obviously you take the risk that they'll make mistakes because they're learner drivers but if they don't (make errors) then you can run the horse six rungs below what it could've been racing.'
Emily Lang is the undisputed queen of the Queensland apprentices but youngsters such as Cody Collis and 183cm-tall Corey Sutherland are making their marks, while Tasmania's Chloe Wells has joined Rob Heathcote's stable on a three-month loan.
'Like Emily Lang said this week, it's once you stop claiming that it gets hard but while you can claim you're very fashionable,' Bruce said.
'It's your opportunity to get out there and ride winners and learn what works and what doesn't.
'Cobi's got to use that opportunity to be valuable when he claims 2kg, then 1.5kg and eventually enough when he has to meet Ryan Maloney at level weights.' Horse Racing
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