THE Chris Waller stable expected High Bridge to “comfortably” beat stablemate Exoteric in the Tattersalls Club Cup (2400m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday but the opposite happened and stewards asked questions.
Jockey Jason Collett said High Bridge never travelled in the run.
“I even needed to use him to pick them up when the tempo backed off and he pulled up very quick,” Collett said.
Waller’s stable manager Charlie Duckworth said it was a poor run considering High Bridge was coming off a Group 1 Metropolitan run and Exoteric was coming out of country cup win.
“James McDonald galloped High Bridge on Tuesday morning and was pleased and we were confident he’d be a serious winning chance,” Duckworth said.
Stewards will look into betting on the race during the week.
High Bridge leads Exoteric to the barriers before the start of the Tatts Cup. Picture: AAPSource:AAP
Tears of joy
IT’S not just owners, trainers and jockeys that get emotional following a win. Godolphin strapper Rhiannon Gamble was balling her eyes out after Resin won the Group 3 Nivison at Randwick. They spend so much time caring for their horses.
Pecans misses out
THE fancied Pecans was scratched at the gates before the Nivison after Shazee Lee kicked her. “Normally those close range ones are lethal,” trainer Joe Pride said. “They normally open them up but she only had a mark on her so hopefully it’s not too bad.” Pride was dealt a further blow a race later when Passage Of Time was also scratched at the gates.
The Lion roars for King
CHRIS O’Brien could not ride The Lion in the Highway race due to illness. He succumbed to a hard waste to ride at 56kg and there was a rush to find a replacement. Stewards told trainer Michelle Fleming that Rachel King was free. “Oh that’s great, I love Rachel … now I’ve just got to tell her how I want him ridden,” Fleming said. And The Lion won well in the end.
The Lion scored an impressive win in the TAB Highway at Randwick. Picture: AAPSource:AAP
Doctor’s bedside manner poor
KEEP an eye on Doctor On Ice next time he’s in the mounting yard. He ran last in the Highway race for Andrew Adkins who said he ran his race before going into the barriers. “He got quite worked up and might have just done it all before he jumped,” he said.
Royal touch
EVENING Slippers, the $1.8m yearling who ran third in the Kirkham Plate, is the full sister to Sweet Idea, who was bought by the Queen for $1.6m as a broodmare. “She’s still a bit green but there’s no reason why she won’t improve off that,” jockey Adam Hyeronimus said. The Queen also bred Invictus Prince, who ran fourth in the Tattersalls Club Cup.
Post always focus for Reign
WE often here that the great horses “know where the winning post is” and juvenile winner Time To Reign was looking for it in the first, literally. His head was turn towards the post the whole way up the straight and as he got to it he focused even further on the post.
Jockey Rachel King steers Time To Reign to a dominant win in the Kirkham Plate. Picture: AAPSource:AAP
ATC introduces $500 rebate
NSW country and interstate horses will now be offered a $500 travel rebate by the ATC to start at Sydney Friday night and Saturday metropolitan meetings. They need to have at least one runner on a Saturday and one the next Friday night meeting at Canterbury.
“The travel rebate provides another reason for owners and country and interstate trainers to race in Sydney for outstanding prizemoney down to 10th place,” said ATC executive general manager James Heddo.
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JAY Ford said the addition of winkers was why Perizada went at a hectic pace up front in the Nivison before fading. “They fired her up,” he said.
HORSES TO FOLLOW: The Tenor (showing plenty), All Too Soon (should have won), Burning Crown (luckless and wants further)
ONES TO SACK: Ef Troop (off the pace), Merovee (not up to Saturday grade)
RIDE OF THE DAY: Koby Jennings on Diplomatico (calm and composed ride)
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “All the real experts picked him as the winner over our stablemate so they obviously knew something we didn’t,” said Charlie Duckworth after High Bridge was beaten by Exoteric.
Originally published as High Bridge flop has stewards inquiring
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