South Australian-based jockey Barend Vorster is making a rare trip across the border to ride in a Group 1 race for his old boss.
Vorster rides Belle Plaisir in the Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on Saturday for Tony and Calvin McEvoy.
Tony McEvoy was instrumental in luring Vorster from Singapore to become his stable rider in South Australia and the pair have had considerable success together.
But when McEvoy's training establishment closed in the Barossa earlier this year and the McEvoy's moved to Ballarat, Vorster remained in South Australia, currently leading the Jockeys' premiership.
Vorster is no stranger to Group 1 success at Flemington, riding Sunlight to victory in the 2019 Newmarket Handicap shortly after his arrival in Australia.
The ride on Belle Plaisir came about more through luck.
Vorster was coming to Melbourne to ride More Reward in the Group 2 Wakeful Stakes and the Group 1 Victorian Oaks before injury forced an alteration to plans.
"As I thought I was coming over, that got me started chasing a few other rides," Vorster said.
"Tony gave me the offer of riding Belle Plaisir, so that was the main attraction and I've been lucky enough to pick up a couple of other ones on Friday night and Saturday.
"It's good to come over again."
Vorster scored on Belle Plaisir during the Adelaide Carnival in May when she won the Group 3 R A Lee Stakes (1600m) after finishing fourth at his only other ride on the mare.
Belle Plaisir ran second in the Group 3 Ladies Day Vase at Caulfield on October 12 before running fourth in The Invitation (1400m) at Randwick last Saturday.
"She's a nice mare," Vorster said.
"She won a really nice race for me during the carnival back home and then they took her up to Queensland, but it was a bit firm up there.
"She's come back and done well, and the addition of blinkers have done her well, she's putting herself into races a little more positively.
"Her run last Saturday was really good and providing she backs up, I think she will go into that race with a bit of a chance."
Vorster drove to Ballarat on Wednesday to ride in jump-outs for the McEvoy's on Thursday before making his way down to Melbourne.
He said there was a slim chance of picking up a ride in the Group 1 Melbourne Cup on Tuesday, but that depends on what happens in the Group 3 Archer Stakes on Saturday.
