Shayne and Chelsea Cahill will saddle up their first runner in official partnership when Royal Telephone steps out in the last race of the day at Gawler on Wednesday.
The Cahill’s have been training alongside each other for eight years, the previously dual-licenced Shayne officially handing in his riding permit this season and making the training partnership official.
Shayne had his first runner in 2016 and has produced 123 winners while Chelsea has had three winners from just 15 runners under a hobby licence.
“Not much will change,’’ Cahill said.
“Chelsea and I have been training alongside each other since I moved into training and the timing was right to go officially into partnership,’’ he said.
The partnership ends an accomplished career in the saddle for Cahill.
He rode 888 winners, three at Group 2, six at Group 3 level and 23 Listed features in a riding career spanning more than 30 years, his biggest win coming in the 2012 Adelaide Cup aboard Rialya.
“The timing was right to not renew my riding licence,’’ Cahill added.
“I hadn’t ridden a lot in races over the past couple of years.
“I still ride all the trackwork here, it’s an important part of the business,’’ he said.
The Cahill’s are one of three new partnerships punters will see in form guides this season.
Lewis Grantham and sister Eliza will also saddle up their first runner as an official partnership when Cholula debuts earlier in the day at Gawler with Brooke King in the saddle, while George Dimitropoulos has joined up with Caitlin Vozzo.
The pair had their first two runners at the opening meeting of the new racing season at Murray Bridge on Saturday with Willybeafactor and Kindra Park going around.
