WHEN scratchings leave you with just three rides for the day – and one of those is a red-hot favourite – you aren’t left with a lot of margin for error.
Swan Hill jockey Harry Coffey headed for Ballarat’s synthetic track on Tuesday with a book of six rides but by the time he got there that was down to three.
Even his trainer father Austy had pulled Miss Cheviots out from beneath him.
When the first of his three remaining rides barely survived the distance, Coffey knew he had his work cut out.
Especially as next up was the McEvoy-trained Vixenette, making its first start as a three-year-old after a pair of unplaced runs as a two-year-old and 27 weeks in the paddock.
Yet Vixenette was still sent out $2.60 favourite in a field of 14, turned into nine by more scratchings.
If Coffey had any thoughts about the race being a cakewalk, he was quickly disabused – the well-supported King Waldo had stolen a huge lead by the time they straightened for home and for much of the race the five-year-old gelding Kilmister was virtually leaning on Vixenette and Coffey.
But once he shook off that horse and got clear, Vixenette absolutely exploded over the last 200m, making King Waldo look like the court clown as he left the bolter and the rest eating his synthetic dust.
Speaking after the race, Coffey said he thought co-trainer Calvin McEvoy would have loved the result after Vixenette had made a few blues in her first two race starts.
“It’s been quite a little training effort, because in her first start she wanted to show all speed and wanted to run and really get on with it,” he said.
“But they have pushed the stop button, done a reset and today she came out and jumped nicely and ticked it off at 1400m for her first start this prep.
“You sort of had to worry whether it was going to work, or she would be a little vulnerable late, but she was strong through the line.
“She may not have beaten much, but you still have to do it.”
Two races later, Coffey was back in the saddle for his final hit-out – this time on Melody Cunningham’s Cosmic Rhapsody, not the most fancied runner with seven wins from 53 career starts and some ordinary form in its most recent outings.
But in classic Coffey style he settled Cosmic Rhapsody near the rear of the small field, hooked wide into the clear as they straightened and never looked like winning until they hit the line.
Even then he needed a photo to get the nod after some very enthusiastic riding – and another double on the comeback trail from a wrist injury.
“He’s just a bit old and cunning and that’s what happens (sticking his nose out at the right time),” Coffey said of the eight-year-old Star Witness gelding.
“I think the synthetic races suit him, because they go quickly and that allows him to get into a nice rhythm, where he’s taken off his feet and he can breathe, because he didn’t sound too nice in the wind.
“Add the fact that he is a bit cunning and has a think about things, and likes to test out your patience. I decided to play his own game and while he was travelling pretty well at the 500m I said, ‘I’m not going to bring you out mate, you can wait a little bit longer’.”
Only metres from the post it appeared Coffey might have outplayed himself, but the horse dug deep and had his head up at the right time on the last stride.
