Oisin Orr wins first Brisbane race

Top Irish apprentice Oisin Orr has made a lightning visit to Doomben to ride his first Brisbane winner aboard Mantelli.

Orr is on a three-month loan to champion Sydney trainer Chris Waller after he was recommended by leading Irish trainer Dermot Weld.

It was Orr’s sixth win in Australia since joining Waller about two months ago.

Mantelli is trained out of Waller’s Gold Coast establishment and Orr made a trip to northern NSW to ride a double for the Queensland stable at Murwillumbah last month.

Orr has twice won the Irish apprentices title and will return for the flat season which starts in March.

He flew out of Brisbane on Thursday night for rides in Sydney on Friday and Saturday.

“It is nice to add a winner in Brisbane. One thing it is certainly warmer here than Ireland at the moment,” Orr said.

“I have about three weeks left in Australia so hopefully I will get a few more wins.”

Mantelli ($2.90) was given the run of the race by Orr and streaked away to an easy win in a maiden (1350m)

The win continued Waller’s good run for the Star Thoroughbreds syndicate after they combined to win the Magic Millions Fillies and Mares for the third time with Invincibella last Saturday.

Trainer Gillian Heinrich made the right decision when she elected to run Dixon Bay after scratching three other of her horses in the Maiden (1050m).

First starter Dixon Bay ($20) finished strongly to beat Three Point Missile ($3.10) by three-quarters of a length.

Winning jockey Ryan Maloney said it had been a good win because Dixon Bay had been green.

“He had trialled OK but he will be even better for that, ” he said.

The win continued a successful week for Maloney who won the $2 million Magic Millions Guineas on Alligator Blood last Saturday.

He will ride Gold Coast mare Winter Bride in the Group One Telegraph at Trentham in New Zealand on Saturday.