HARRY, Harry, Harry, you’ve done it again.
Swan Hill’s Harry Coffey – in league with the McEvoy stables – carved up the Ballarat track on Saturday with his trademark elan in some of the worst racing conditions.
Coffey had just four rides booked in the 10-race card on Ballarat Cup Day – in each of the first three and then with the rank outsider in the cup itself – no one anticipated what was about to unfold.
But the first of the day – the $175,000 Design Vobis Gold Eureka Stockage Handicap over 1400m – very quickly put punters, trainers and jockeys on notice as Coffey on Sunset Dreaming outfought Jamie Kah’s Canyonlands in a one-on-one duel over the final 250m for victory.
Despite the rain getting heavier, an upbeat Coffey said after the race thought his race plan had been a good one.
Coffey said he didn’t want Dean Yendall on pacemaker Raymond’s Reward to get too far away.
“But I did have the two best chances in front of me, Dean and Jamie, and both really good riders of assessing tempo, so I thought I would just stalk them and I came out and gave her clear air and made sure I was able to get into her, and ask her for an effort so we weren’t left behind in her flat spot.
“The biggest thing was she responded well in the blinkers today. I had a horse underneath me the whole way, whereas in stages in her other races she has been getting lost – albeit up in grade, so the pressure is a bit different.
“But she has won again in Ballarat, she loves it here and it will be great for her confidence.
“I truly believe next preparation she will be a lot better filly and she has already won three races in her first prep so she has already done plenty.”
In the $250,000 Magic Millions Ballarat 2YO Classic (1000m), the second-biggest race of the day, Coffey decided he had an even easier way to win a race.
Get to the front pretty quickly, increase the pace dramatically, then hit the afterburners at the 300m mark and get out of the rain faster.
Arabian Summer dealt with the wintry conditions, blasting a well-bred field of youngsters off the track to land Coffey a double from his first two rides.
Coffey kept checking the big screen as he came down the straight to make sure he was safe.
He said despite the rain and the track being downgraded, and some concern over his horse’s ability in the wet, when he took off the track felt anything but soft.
“She let down nicely in it, got to the front easily and controlled it, so you would expect her to quicken well, and she really moved well.”
Just 35 minutes later Coffey was on Give Giggles in the $80,000 A Grade Sheds Handicap over 1000m, with the rain going from pouring to bucketing.
While the race didn’t go to Coffey’s plan, he was at the pointy end of the affair when he broke into the clear at the top of the straight and blew right past the frontrunning Cadboll.
He didn’t even give the big screen a glance.
After three winners in three rides for the McEvoy stable, Coffey’s mount Midnight Blue ran last in the $500,000 Ballarat Cup.
But his three winners took out races worth a total of $505,000.
The big question, still being considered by the McEvoys, is whether Saturday’s Arabian Sunset success is enough to take the filly to the Gold Coast on January 13 for a shot at the $3 million Magic Millions Classic.
Coffey has delivered an eye-watering win rate of 19 per cent for the stable this season (compared to his overall 13.10 per cent) and is No.6 ranked Victorian jockey overall on wins.
