TRAINERS, jockeys, apprentice jockeys – they were all having a crack this week, first at Echuca on Monday, and the next day on the synthetic track at Ballarat.
On both days Swan Hill’s Harry Coffey landed doubles, racking up win 94 for the season with just 13 days left to find six more.
At Echuca, Swan Hill trainer Nathan Hobson legged Nyah West apprentice Madison Lloyd into the saddle on Upper East Side and they shared the win.
The win took Hobson’s six-year-old gelding past $300,000 in prizemoney.
In the $27,000 Murphy’s Turf and Landscaping Handicap over 1100m, Upper East Side came from the widest gate, at which point nothing unfolded the way Hobson expected.
He said he was looking to see his horse running wide, anywhere between the centre of the track and closer to the outside of the track.
“This horse has been going really well this time in, although he does tend to put your heart in your mouth because he keeps on getting so far back in the field,” Hobson said.
“But he really does have a nice finishing burst on him.
“When we did draw that outside gate, I thought we might be coming down wide, or out in the middle, but clearly Madison knew best and up the rail we went.”
Hobson agreed the young rider was having a bit of a purple patch of late and said the winning run was a prime example of just how good she had become.
“She did a good job, she is riding just fine and it’s a pity she doesn’t get more opportunities in town and a bit more support, it would be good for her.”
An excited Lloyd said that even though she chose to go inside, she never doubted it had been the right choice.
She said she had plenty of experience on the horse and knew what he was capable of.
“We were a few off the rail, but I knew he could handle that ground no worries,” Lloyd said.
“So I was able to get carted into it quite nicely, on the back of the favourite, and from there I just know he’s always going to be tough to the line.
“But yes, there are always a few nervous moments with him however, and you have just got to time your run right, but he’s always going to be very, very strong late.
“He’s always got a bit of something left if you need it, but believe me, as soon as he passes the post, he knows it.”
On Tuesday, Coffey made the trip down to Ballarat with a good book of rides, and both his wins could be safely described as runaway victories on some of the best-backed horses on the day.
His first win came in the $27,000 Hygain Winners Choice over 2100m when he rode a measured race on the heavily-backed favourite Look Sharpish.
“I was laughing at Jarrod Fry on the way back in, telling him I had stalked him everywhere he went, he did all the work and I got him late,” Coffey grinned.
“I rode a very similar race with her previously, having the last crack at them after having a really nice run, but I felt today’s win was a little bit better.
“She must have taken good confidence from the other day because she was happy to travel better throughout and she was really running through the line late.
“So the team (Leon and Troy Corstens) has done a good job and I was just lucky to be on her both times.”
He agreed the six-year-old mare could probably take her good form to town for a midweek meeting and that the benchmark races could work in her favour, saying there’s not much more you can ask of them than to win two like she has.
“I haven’t ridden a lot for the Corstens, but I can remember back when I was a kid and I raced home from school to ride one for Troy and got caught three wide from barrier three at The Valley – and haven’t had many rides with them since,” Coffey said.
“But it’s good to repay them with a couple of nice wins on this mare all these years later.”
The last of the day – another $27,000 Hygain Winners Choice over 1200m – saw him steer another red-hot favourite to the line with a lot of clear air between him and the field.
This time he was in the saddle for the McEvoys but the result was pretty much a repeat – except this time, everyone followed him, instead of the other way around.
“We got really nice sectionals through the early and middle stages, and she really jumped well out of the gates and we were able to utilise that gate speed and get in a nice rhythm,” Coffey said.
“From there she’s built the tempo from 600m onwards and she was strong right through the line.
“I actually said to Tony (trainer Tony McEvoy) before the race I’d been keen to ride her for cover and let her show her turn of foot.
“But just the way it turned out she landed in front and got the job done.
“She’s done well on the synthetic and the McEvoys have done a good job picking this race for her and she will get a lot of confidence from this run and hopefully go on and be competitive in even better races.”
