TYE Angland, the only jockey to win twice at Group 1 level during the Sydney spring carnival, can continue his feature race winning habit at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
The star jockey has a full book of nine rides including top colt Single Bullet in the Listed $ 150,000 Brian Crowley Stakes (1200m).
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Among Angland’s other rides are Zestful in the Group 3 $ 150,000 The Nivison (1200m) and Havana Cooler in the Listed $ 125,000 City Tattersall’s Club Cup (2400m).
Single Bullet is the $ 3.80 TAB Fixed Odds favourite to win the feature three-year-old sprint while Zesftul ($ 21) and Havana Cooler ($ 13) are outsiders. But Angland believes he has a very real opportunity to claim a Randwick feature race hat-trick on Saturday.
“I’m confident Single Bullet will go very close to winning,’’ Angland said. “I got too far back on Zestful last start and I think this looks a nice race for her, she will be strong late. Havana Cooler is on the quick back-up but he went super last week.’’
Single Bullet goes into the Brian Crowley Stakes after successive seconds to boom unbeaten Godolphin colt Viridine in the Heritage Stakes and Roman Consul Stakes to start his spring three-year-old season. Angland is optimistic Single Bullet will get his chance to go one better today in the absence of Viridine.
“If Viridine wasn’t there in Single Bullet’s last two starts he wins those races quite comfortably,’’ the jockey said. “I’ve been happy with the way Single Bullet has been performing — and we are not going to run up against Viridine this time!”
Zestful hasn’t raced since finishing seventh behind Zanbagh in the Tibbie Stakes at Newcastle a month ago but trainer Kris Lees gave her a solid barrier trial hitout last week to prepare her for Saturday’s race. Angland was critical of his ride in the Tibbie Stakes while adding the mare didn’t have a lot of room in the straight. “She can run well in this race,’’ he said.
Havana Cooler indicated a return to form when sixth in the St Leger Stakes (2600m) at Randwick last Saturday.
“The (Godolphin) team were very happy with his form turnaround,’’ Angland said. “He felt good coming around the corner and let down strong. This looks a nice race for him.’’
Angland has every right to feel confident after an outstanding Sydney spring where he won Group 1 races on Trapeze Artist in the Golden Rose and Ace High in the Spring Champion Stakes.
He is hoping to capitalise on those big race wins and make an impact during the Melbourne carnival in coming weeks.
“It is all about getting the right opportunities in Melbourne,’’ Angland said. “When I go down there I hope to have a decent book of rides. On Derby Day at Flemington, I’ll have Trapeze Artist in the Coolmore Stud Stakes and Ace High in the (Victoria) Derby.
“I don’t have a Melbourne Cup ride yet but you never know what might happen.’’
Angland will put Ace High through his paces in an exhibition gallop between races at Randwick.
Trainer David Payne has Ace High working with Blue Seal over 2000m as part of the three-year-old’s Derby preparation.
Trapeze Artist had a setback which forced him out of the Sydney Stakes on race eve last week but trainer Gerald Ryan remains confident of having the young sprinter primed for the Coolmore Stud Stakes in three weeks.
Blue army on the march
Brad Davidson
THE Royal Blue army will unleash a two-pronged attack on the two features at Royal Randwick when Malahat and Piracy tackle the Brian Crowley Stakes and Kinshachi and Maternal line up in the Nivison.
Godolphin will saddle-up a host of runners in stakes races at Caulfield but James Cummings is upbeat he can strike a blow in Sydney as well.
Malahat beat the older horses at Canterbury two starts back and then was only beaten two lengths by Viridine in the Heritage Stakes last start.
“We’ve had this race in mind for him for a while,” Cummings said. “He finished fourth to Viridine (last start) when he led. There wasn’t a lot between them and we have a very good opinion of Viridine and he’s trialled nicely since that run.”
Piracy won two straight earlier this campaign and was only 1¼ lengths off Chalk at this track and distance a fortnight ago.
“He’s worked his way through the grades and shown that he’s improving with every run,” Cummings said. “He was solid at Randwick last start when he finished fourth and although he goes up in class he can be competitive if he gets some cover.”
Kinshachi and Maternal both resume in the Group 3 Nivison (1200m) and Cummings feels they can be competitive. Kinshachi has won three from four starts first-up and will bid to add to her impressive fresh record.
“This looks to be a strong race but she showed good form in Queensland during her last prep,” he said. “She might need a run or two to reach her peak and some rain would be an advantage.”
Maternal resumes off two trials.
“She has similar form lines to Kinshachi who she beat narrowly in the Gai Waterhouse at Ipswich (last prep),” Cummings said. “Her two barrier trials have been satisfactory, she’s been a very consistent (mare) who can figure here in a very good field.”
Meanwhile, in Melbourne, Cummings is upbeat Godolphin can notch consecutive wins in the Gothic Stakes (1400m) when Beau Geste tackles the Listed event.
“We gave consideration to running him in the Blue Sapphire but Kerrin McEvoy, who rode him last start, felt he’d be better at seven furlongs,” he said. “The team won this race last year with Peacock and I feel fairly sure this colt has a class edge on him.
“We’re very pleased with how he’s trained on since he ran behind Viridine two weeks ago and we’re looking forward to pressing on to the Carbine Club Stakes on Derby Day.”
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