Jorden McMahon is only two starts into his burgeoning career.
On Saturday, the young trainer has his sights on his first winner with veteran galloper Velaro contesting the $17,000 Silver City Cup (1600m) at Broken Hill.
Training out of Port Augusta, the 27-year-old comes from the McMahon racing family, and he said it would be a proud moment to have a starter in the Broken Hill feature, let alone if he won the race.
“I’ve had Velaro for two runs in Port Lincoln, and I’m pretty excited to see him go around at Broken Hill,” McMahon said.
“Racing is in my family; my grandfather was a trainer, and my dad is a trainer, and he’s got one in the last called Project Gutenberg.
“My uncle is a trainer and used to be a jockey, and well, racing is in our blood, and to have a winner will be something pretty special as everyone has been there with me the whole way.”
A contractor by trade, McMahon shares a massive love of racing and has a handy resume to call upon.
“I love racing, and I dropped out year ten and moved interstate and started working for Brent Stanley at Sutton Grange,” McMahon said.
“When I left him, I worked for Godolphin when John O’Shea was there, and after that, I was travelling foreman for Matthew Smith and Wendy Roche before I went back to Brent Stanley.”
Now training, McMahon is eager to make his mark, and Velaro isn’t a bad pick-up, with the nine-year-old already a winner on the track.
When under the care of Michael Wayman, the Bullet Train gelding came out and dead-heated with Magnossia in the 2023 Broken Hill Outback Cup in March.
“We got the horse from Mick; he bought it for Port Augusta, but it got scratched and needed to go back to the trials, and he said he couldn’t take it to the trials,” McMahon said.
“I was a month off getting my own trainer’s licence, but he said I could have it if I wanted, and we would do a deal if he were to win a race.
“He’s a good horse and won on the track. Murray Henderson, who won on him in the Outback Cup, rang me and said he could ride him.”
McMahon will leave no stone unturned in his quest for Silver City Cup glory, leaving for Broken Hill early on Friday to avoid the oppressive heat while staying at Wayman’s overnight.
“It’s about five hours, so I want to be on the road by 8 am, get there by 1 pm, and we’ll stay at Mick Wayman’s,” McMahon said.
“We’ll try and beat the heat, let him settle into Mick’s; he knows the area, and hopefully, he goes from there and does half all right.”
McMahon said he was ‘slightly confident’ Velaro could go back-to-back in the Broken Hill feature.
“He’s got lengths in him to extend, but he is as good as I can get him for this race,” McMahon said.
“Hopefully, he goes okay, and if he does, we’ll go to Ceduna and chase all the cups on the West Coast.”
The Silver City Cup headlines Saturday’s six-race program, while fashions and entertainment will keep racegoers entertained on and off the track.
It is set to be hot, with the current forecast suggesting a high of 41 degrees.
Racing NSW will continue to monitor the forecast, with stewards expected to move the start times forward to avoid the heat.
Click here for more on the Silver City Racing Club meeting and to keep up-to-date with meeting changes.
Click here for fields.
