AUSTY Coffey isn’t expecting to take home the bet365 Swan Hill Cup this year – but he reckons he’s got bigger fish to fry.
Such as getting the right jockey to ride the team of as many as eight he will be hoping to see in action across the long weekend.
And the right jockey would be son Harry.
But Austy reckons his chances of securing Harry are slim to zero – and Slim left town last week.
“Obviously Harry would be our first pick, but the June carnival has become a big event on the racing calendar and it draws a lot of the big name trainers, so I might have to get in the queue to get Harry,” Coffey said.
“With this carnival at roads in June lead to Swan Hill.
“Although we only have 12 horses in work at the moment so our team will be smaller than it has in previous years.
“They are a pretty even lot and ticking over well so if they can walk they will be running.”
Which means Mistavain, Coffey’s most recent winner at Mildura on May 25, will be spearheading Team Coffey’s cup contingent.
Coffey admitted he had been “pretty worried” about him after three very middling results this preparation.
“So we did a few different things with him, including putting on blinkers and using a tongue tie and it paid off big time for us at Mildura,” he said.
“As that was only his fourth start this time in (and his second career win), I am pretty sure there are a few more good runs in him and although his win has pushed him up a bit in the grades if he can maintain his current form he will be worth watching.”
Coffey also agreed the lack of access to the grass surface at Swan Hill in the weeks leading up to the cup does make things that bit harder for local trainers.
“It makes things a bit tricky for us, but racing isn’t it; you work around what you have got, not what you haven’t,” he said.
