Jockey Dean Yendall warns punters not to overthink Warrnambool track

Jockey Dean Yendall has earned his stripes as an authority on the Warrnambool track so punters could do worse than take on board his thoughts.

Jockey Dean Yendall celebrates winning last year’s Wangoom Handicap on Outlaws Revenge. Picture: Getty Images.

Jockey Dean Yendall has earned his stripes as an authority on the Warrnambool track so punters could do worse than take on board his thoughts.

Yendall has won both Warrnambool flat features, the Wangoom Handicap and Warrnambool Cup, on multiple occasions, including last year’s Wangoom with Outlaw’s Revenge.

Yendall has mastered the tricky Warrnambool track at many carnivals, successfully forecasting the way the track will play on all three days.

The Group 1-winning rider says punters could sometimes overthink the track patterns on the second and third days, which both also featured 10-race cards.

Like most of his fellow riders, Yendall walks tracks before each meeting but said there was little difference between the inside and middle sections at Warrnambool.

Jockey Dean Yendall will don the OTI Racing silks in Thursday’s Warrnambool Cup. Picture: Michael Klein

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“I’m just looking for some sort of advantage all the time, mainly firmer ground,” Yendall said.

“I generally find at Warrnambool that the rail at Warrnambool is fine up to about four horses off.

“Generally it’s the same every day, depending on their weather.

“You get that dew in the morning and it might soften the inside for a couple of races and you try to use that better ground on the inside to your advantage early in the day then start scouting wider as the day goes on.”

Yendall said one positive of the Warrnambool May Carnival was track staff leave the running rail in the true position despite the track deteriorating under the hammering it took from 30 races in three days.

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Yendall said giving the jockeys the full width of the track to find the best ground was a great part of the challenge of the Warrnambool carnival.

“Just let the jockeys sort it out,” Yendall said.

“The rail is always true there and we can work it out. You just tried to ride them the best you can.”

Yendall has picked up the ride on the Lindsay Park-trained galloper Crosshaven in Wednesday’s Wangoom Handicap. The multiple Group 3-winner failed to beat a runner home in the $500,000 Country Discovery at Yarra Valley but had no luck securing a clear run in the straight.

TAB rated Crosshaven as a $23 chance in early Wangoom Handicap betting.

Yendall be aboard $51 chance Win O’Clock for his long-time supporter Matthew Williams in the Warrnambool Cup.

Originally published as Jockey Dean Yendall warns punters not to overthink Warrnambool track