‘Kicking him home for us’: Buchanan eyeing fairytale win to honor tragic jockey

“Since she serves in Victoria, not many of us honor her like this, so I was really happy that her race was Midway, and it’s even more fitting that she has a Stylebender in it.

“He always went to this race and I was hoping to ride Bronte on him, so I’m sure he’ll kick it home for us.

A memorial service for Simpson will be held at the Woady Yaloak Equestrian Center in Victoria on Monday. A celebration of her life will be held in NSW at a later date.

Buchanan encouraged Simpson to move into the country and use her three-kilogram claim before returning to the provinces.

“She took lessons from Sara, but she always came and drove for me at three or four in the morning and she was just such a lovely girl,” she said.

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“She was a great little rider and she was a very gentle and very kind young lady. You didn’t hear much about her but she was always happy on the horse.

“She was such a good kid and she could really laugh. I had a lot of faith in her in the long run. It just reminds you that you never know when you’re not going to see someone again. It’s just horrible.”

Three-pound apprentice Shannen Llewellyn, who was with Clement before moving to Newcastle trainer Nathan Doyle, will ride Stylebender and Justice Warrior.

Buchanan said race fitness will be a factor for Stylebender.

“There are horses in the race who have had a number of starts at this distance and we are the first, but he is riding well fresh and his trials have been good,” she said. “He’s the toughest, bravest little horse and you just have to ride him like that.

Justice Warrior had a $19 chance in the seventh, at a 1300m benchmark 72.

“Bronte won his maiden at Tamworth for me so he runs on the day too, which is quite fitting,” she said. “He won well last start and although it’s a big step up, when you look at the form around his girls, it’s so strong.

“I had him in the 1550m at Canterbury but there was a lot of pressure in that race and when I heard they were doing a memorial for Bronte I thought I’d throw in a couple of her favorite horses.