Doughty gets winning boost with Cabeirian

Cabeirian gives his rivals a galloping lesson at Doomben to confirm his potential.

Former jockey Gary Doughty received a timely boost to his health when promising Cabeirian won at Doomben on Wednesday.

Doughty, who holds a place in turf history as the rider of Australia’s longest-priced Group One winner when Abaridy won the 1986 Caulfield Guineas at 250-1, has been helping his trainer wife Kelly with her team on the Gold Coast for the past decade.

But he has been in hospital and was in a serious condition for a few days.

“Gary has diverticulitis and it burst because he left it too long, which caused real problems. He might be able to come home on Thursday but he was in a bad way for a couple of days,” Kelly said.

“His days of riding track work might be over because he has to take it very easy and he will need another operation in six months time.”

The Doughtys have a big opinion of Cabeirian who is a half-brother to their top sprinter Flamboyer.

“He can beat Flamboyer in track work and no other horse can do that. It has just taken a while for him to mature,” Kelly said.

“Gary will be thrilled with the win because he really has put a lot of work into this horse.”

Jeff Lloyd has ridden more than 350 winners in Queensland since coming back to riding three years ago but he scored his first for premier trainer Tony Gollan on Yallaroi.

“I had over 100 winners last year and Jeff had nearly 200 overall but we didn’t have one together,” Gollan said.

“In fact that is his first ever winner for me so I can’t say I helped him set the metropolitan and Queensland records last season.”

Rarely is a horse described as an egotist but trainer Steve O’Dea struggles to come up with another word for his gelding Was It Worth it.

Ridden a perfect race by Damian Browne behind the leader, Was It Worth ($4) ame away in the straight to beat Pinch Passion ($2.90) by 1 1/4 lengths.

O’Dea said it was an understatement Was It Worth It had proved a handful early in his career.

“He has a very big opinion of himself around the stables and at the races . Now he has won two races who knows what he will be like?” O’Dea said.