Jye McNeil striving to win race named after Deane Lester at Cranbourne

Victory in a race at Cranbourne named after his late mentor would mean the world to Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Jye McNeil.

McNeil will ride the $3.30 favourite Gregolimo in The Lester, a race named after the late form expert and media personality Deane Lester, who died earlier this year after a battle with cancer.

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Lester was a long-time friend and mentor to McNeil and played a large part in the jockey’s 2020 Melbourne Cup win on Twilight Payment.

McNeil won a race named in Lester’s honour at Flemington soon after the racing figure’s death but would love to win The Lester on his home track at Cranbourne.

“It would be great to win that race,” McNeil said.

“He’s a horse in good form and going well so I’m grateful to get the opportunity.”

The Mike Moroney-trained Gregolimo has only had three runs in Melbourne since arriving from France but has placed in all runs, going down by less than a length at his last two starts.

Gregolimo finished third behind the in-form Muramasa in the Group 3 Coongy Cup (2000m) two starts back and ran second in a Benchmark 90 race at Flemington on Oaks Day.

Gregolimo will drop back to Benchmark 84 level in Saturday’s $130,000 contest,

“It does look a good race for him, the distance, the grade and everything else,” McNeil said.

“His form looks like he should be well suited lining up in a race like this.

“He looks like he lays in a bit so I’ll have that in the back of my mind, but I’m excited to ride him.”

The Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained Glentaneous, who finished fourth behind Gregolimo at Femington, is the $5 second favourite ahead of the consistent Fire Glo Too at $6.50.

Originally published as Jye McNeil striving to win race named after late mentor Deane Lester