JOCKEY Harry Coffey may be on the verge of a very important career first.
Maybe.
Or it might just not happen for another 12 months, or more.
Maybe.
It’s an occasion which has been only a few weeks in the making but Coffey and wife Tayla reckon the first appearance of their son Thomas, aged six weeks, at his first Swan Hill Cup, watched by trainer and grandfather Austy, will be a big moment for the local racing dynasty.
But, as the little guy’s dad concedes, he will be busy with his big book of rides, and the grandfather will be training, so it will be a decision for Tayla.
“It would be good but there are so many things which might change it on the day – the weather, whether they had a good night before, just about anything,” Coffey says.
“And I won’t be much help so if it doesn’t work this year, I guess it will be 2024.
“But it’s pretty safe to say whenever he makes his first cup meeting, it will be the first of many.”
Coffey says he is loving fatherhood and, while he does his best to help, admits Tayla is the one doing most of the work.
He says she has a background in childcare as well as her time riding “so she’s pretty good at it”.
“Thomas is ticking along OK but it’s likely to be bloody cold, so the final decision won’t be up to me.”
While there have been highlights away from the track, Coffey has also been scoring wins on it of late – including his first metro treble, at Sandown on May 27.
Last weekend at Flemington he didn’t land another winner, but had a second by a nose and another by a long neck.
All this off the back of the previous season – his first with 100 winners.
So far this season he has 75 winners at a strike rate of 13 per cent. On provincial and country tracks he has 59 winners at almost 15 per cent.
“The treble was great on the Saturday – three wins from the only three rides I had for the meeting. But Sunday, the next day, brought me back to earth when it rained all day and every horse I had finished last,” Coffey laughed.
“I have not been doing as much riding as usual, so I could be around before the baby was born, normally I am all over the place riding.
“I certainly went flat out for the past 12 months, knowing I would be cutting back, but a good book of rides for your home carnival is always great.”
Coffey has cracked it for rides in the two drawcards of the carnival.
Today he will be aboard the Kiwi-bred Ocean Beyond in the $150,000 Pooles Golden Topaz and on the Sunday, in the $175,000 bet365 Swan Hill Cup, will ride the Hayes-trained So Si Bon.
He describes his Topaz mount as “a good horse” with a real chance, even though he had drawn gate 13 in a 14-horse field.
“This is far from the strongest Topaz field I have seen, just compare it with last year’s race, won by the exciting Triple Missile,” Coffey adds.
“Ocean is a good horse, although he has not been in the best form of his career recently.
“But he did win a jump-out at Avoca late last month so we will see how we go. I have had a second in the Topaz but am always happy to go one better.”
With $2.3 million in the bank and nine career wins (plus 22 placings), So Si Bon doesn’t owe its connections or trainers anything.
And in a better time of the year, the veteran nine-year-old gelding might just pull something out of the hat.
But the jockey isn’t counting any chickens still in their shells for his veteran runner.
“He’s still a pretty handy horse I’ve only ridden once in a race – earlier this year in the $4.2 million All Star Mile,” Coffey says.
“Our weather will clear up but I am pretty sure the track will remain wet and Sosi has a big weight, which might really start to tell in the final stages of the race and bring us undone.
“But on paper and in preparation, he is still a very good ride.”
The Swan Hill jockey says he is really looking forward to the carnival – and some sunny skies – with all those rides ahead.
