Siobhan O'Donnell with Amelia's Jewel (Image: Racing Photos)
Siobhan O'Donnell isn't leaving anything to chance when it comes to looking after Amelia's Jewel - in fact, she rarely lets the star Western Australian galloper out of her sight.
The travelling strapper and trackwork rider can see Amelia's Jewel's stable from where she's staying in an apartment overlooking Flemington Racecourse.
The daughter of jockey Shaun O'Donnell, who at one time aspired to be a hoop herself, O'Donnell admits that there's a certain amount of pressure when you're dealing each day with Amelia's Jewel.
What's more, the Simon Miller-trained mare could cement her position as one of the nation's best by the end of the spring.
"I feel a bit of pressure, but I try and be as relaxed as I can," O'Donnell said.
"When you start stressing, that's when you make mistakes. I try and be really relaxed. Simon doesn't put any pressure on me, he knows I know what I'm doing."
O'Donnell was chosen by owner Peter Walsh to travel with Amelia's Jewel as she prepared to take on the best thoroughbreds on the east coast of Australia and describes the daughter of Siyouni as being a straightforward horse to deal with.
"She's pretty easy, she's a typical angry little mare in the box but she's a great ride," she said.
"She's quite strong, she's got a great attitude towards life, she's just thrived since being here."
It's that attitude that O'Donnell believes is one of the reasons behind the success that Amelia's Jewel has enjoyed, winning eight of her 10 starts, including the Group 1 Northerly Stakes last year.
"Her toughness, her turn of foot, her attitude, her great brain, everything makes her as good as she is," O'Donnell said as she elaborated on Amelia's Jewel's strengths.
After conquering the west, the four-year-old mare had her first test of Melbourne racing at Flemington a fortnight ago, proving to be a class above her opposition in the G2 Let's Elope Stakes, a win that O'Donnell was happy to get out of the way.
"It was very relieving, especially with all that hype around her," she said.
"It was also not her grand final and she's not fully wound up yet, so it's exciting to see when she is fully wound up, see what she can do."
WATCH: O'Donnell cheering on Amelia's Jewel at Flemington
Amelia's Jewel heads to Moonee Valley on Friday night for her second run this campaign in the G2 Stocks Stakes, which will be the first trip to the races there for both the horse and her strapper, who is confident of another win.
"I think she'll handle it really well," O'Donnell said.
"It's obviously not easy to win there but I think if she gets the right run, she'll win easily. It's the same kind of race as last start."
That confidence is shared by Sportsbet, who has Amelia's Jewel at $1.35 to win again on Friday night.