SWAN Hill rider Harry Coffey has jagged a start in Saturday’s $5 million All-Star Mile at Moonee Valley.
And he’ll be riding the oldest horse in the field, from the widest draw on metropolitan racing’s tightest track, complete with the shortest straight.
It sounds an impossible ask, but with the way the dominoes had to fall to even get the Hayes-trained So Si Bon anywhere near The Valley for the big day, anything could happen.
Literally.
Just ask speed skater Steve Bradbury.
There are just 15 starters in the field, So Si Bon sat at No.26 of the 31 horses chasing a start.
And the amazing run of events – triggered by Peter Moody’s decision to keep I Wish I Win on a sprinting program – just kept coming.
So Si Bon finally got the nod just 90 minutes before Tuesday’s barrier draw.
“I heard Tuesday morning I had got the ride,” Coffey said.
“Then found out four hours later we had drawn barrier 15 – how good’s that?
“But, ah, no, we will have to see how the race pans out, but I’d say there will be plenty of speed on, so the race will open up and hopefully we can get a nice spot.
“It’s awesome to be part of the day and to be included in such a big race.”
With Moody’s withdrawal, Racing Victoria turned to its emergency list – and sitting at the top was Fangirl, whose connections accepted and then declined, preferring the $1m George Ryder Stakes (1500m).
The second and third horses on the list – Cascadian and Sheeza Belter – had already filled vacancies created by Jacquinot and Tuvalu.
So the cracks kept widening and finally, after 19 horses had passed, So Si Bon and Harry Coffey were in.
Coffey was keeping his feet on the ground ahead of the big race, even though his head might be just up in the clouds a little.
But he thought anyone who believed they were going to finish ahead of I’m Thunderstruck and Alligator Blood might have their heads in the clouds too.
With seven rides on the nine-race card (including Messignadi for his trainer father Austy), Coffey had high expectations for some of his other chances – especially Dunkel in the prestigious Group 2 $750,000 Alister Clark Stakes.
This horse had five wins and a second from its six starts, all with Coffey in the saddle, and he knew he had a serious shot at making that six wins and his second Group 2 victory after his stunning win at Flemington last weekend.
Taking out the $300,000 Blamey Stakes left Coffey sweating out a multi-million dollar dilemma while trainer Grahame Begg decided whether to start his born-again stayer Nonconformist in ASM or the $3 million Australian Cup seven days later at Flemington.
But the dilemma got deeper – Coffey was just filling in for regular rider Jordie Childs.
In the end, however, his concern was moot. Begg passed for Nonconformist and unlike Coffey, Childs is not riding in the race.
In a tune up for the big day, Coffey took out a mile event at Ballarat on Tuesday with Booker Tee in the $27,000 Hygain Winners Choice Handicap.
Coffey seemed content to bowl along at the back, but when the tempo picked up he decided to swing around the field just as it was already spreading when they came off the last bend and headed for home.
Undeterred, Coffey simply kept going wider until he got the five-year-old gelding going straight – and took off straight after the leaders.
One by one he picked them off, coming down the extreme outside and having conceded some serious yardage to get there.
Then he finally hit top gear and simply cruised right by the rest of them to win on the trot.
The delighted hoop agreed post race he is in a bit of a Ballarat purple patch and he is – and why wouldn’t he be? – enjoying riding at the track and the number of meetings the club has been staging.
“I think it’s good they have been racing here, and the track has presented well again today,” Coffey explained.
“We had a nice run throughout and he was too tough late.
“First up (this prep) was quite a sharp 1200m and he just got left a little behind where today, over 1600m he got a better chance to travel, allowing him to be strong over the concluding stages.
“He’s becoming a little bit of an older horse now and they can be a little ring rusty first-up – that was the case the other day but today he has bounced through that, landing in this race, which was really suitable, and got the job done.”
All that remains for Coffey is to also get the job done; if not with So Si Bon then certainly with Dunkel – or both.
