From zero to $250,000 in 70 seconds for young Warrior
HE’S the youngest jockey in the field riding Lindsay Park’s No. 1 seed in the world’s richest race on turf yet Regan Bayliss is not intimidated by the task ahead.
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HE’S the youngest jockey in the field riding Lindsay Park’s No. 1 seed in the world’s richest race on turf.
But star 20-year-old Melbourne rider Regan Bayliss isn’t letting the hype get to him as he prepares to partner Redkirk Warrior in the $10 million The TAB Everest (1200m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
For less than 70 seconds work, a jockey could earn at least $250,000 by winning The Everest but Bayliss isn’t worrying about the potential for a massive payday, he is concentrating on the process and will let the result take care of itself.
THE EVEREST: YOUR COMPLETE GUIDE
“There has been a big build-up to The Everest, there has been a lot of talk about it in the jockeys room which I guess is understandable given the prizemoney on offer,’’ Bayliss said.
“But my preparation for the race won’t change. I will try to treat this like any other day and make sure I’m 100 per cent focused for The Everest.’’
Bayliss has only been riding for just four years, winning nearly 300 races including his breakthrough Group 1 success on Redkirk Warrior in the Newmarket Handicap earlier this year.
Hall of Famer David Hayes, who trains in partnership with his son Ben and nephew Tom Dabernig, has openly declared Redkirk Warrior is his stable’s number one Everest contender and it speaks volumes for his regard of Bayliss’s ability in the saddle that he has been entrusted with the ride on Saturday.
Bayliss partnered Redkirk Warrior in his final fast workout at Royal Randwick yesterday morning and believes the sprinter is ready to run a very competitive race in The Everest.
“I thought Redkirk Warrior went super in his gallop,’’ Bayliss said.
“The most important thing was he got onto his right leg throughout, felt great and ran his last 400m in about 22.5sec — and did it quite comfortably.’’
Redkirk Warrior, who is racing in the slot held by The Star Entertainment Group, resumed with a brilliant win in the Bobbie Lewis Quality last month but in his two previous Sydney starts in the autumn, he ran unplaced in the Doncaster Mile and All Aged Stakes.
Bayliss warned punters to “put a line” through those Sydney flops as they were on heavy tracks, which are Redkirk Warrior’s Achilles heel.
“I’ve ridden him on wet tracks at home and he is not the same horse, he is so much better on top of the ground,’’ Bayliss said. “He is a seven-year-old but still relatively untapped but he is a very, very good horse.
“Every time he has been beaten there has been legitimate excuses but when he gets conditions to suit we know how devastating he can be.
“I think David would have preferred to go first-up into The Everest but with Redkirk Warrior but he had to give the horse a run to show the slot-holders how good he was going.
“Redkirk Warrior has done really since that win and I wouldn’t swap my ride for any other in the race.’’
$10m THE TAB EVEREST PLAYERS
Randwick (1200m), Saturday
CHAUTAUQUA
Slot Holder: GPI Racing
Breeding: Encosta De Lago-Lovely Jubly
Trainers: Michael, Wayne and John Hawkes
Owners: R & C Legh Racing, GPI Racing, Gurners Bloodstock Co, Mr G Pulitano, Mr SW Kay, Ms MA Keating, Wright Racing, Throsby Racing
Jockey: Brenton Avdulla
Prizemoney: $8,376,935
Career record 30 starts: 13-7-4
Major wins: Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes (three times), Group 1 HK Chairman’s Sprint Prize, Group 1 Lightning Stakes, Group 1 Manikato Stakes
VEGA MAGIC
Slot Holder: Max Whitby and Neil Werrett
Breeding: Lope De Vega — Admirable
Trainers: David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig
Owners: Mr WH Daly, Mr GE Daly
Jockey: Craig Williams
Prizemoney: $1,859,050
Career record 17 starts: 12-2-1
Major wins: Group 1 Memsie Stakes, Group 1 Goodwood Handicap, Group 2 Bobbie Lewis Quality
REDKIRK WARRIOR
Slot Holder: The Star
Breeding: Notnowcato — Flag
Trainers: David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig
Owners: Mr MB Lee, Miss YCJ Tam
Jockey: Regan Bayliss
Prizemoney: $1,384,020
Career record 13 starts: 6-2-0
Major wins: Group 1 Newmarket Handicap, Group 2 Bobbie Lewis Quality
REDZEL
Slot Holder: James Harron
Breeding: Snitzel-Millrich
Trainers: Peter and Paul Snowden
Owners: Triple Crown Syndications, Ten Players, M JAllen, Walfam No 2, Mr P Piras, Mr VP Chau, Mr TW Cheng, Mr MR Waddington, Mrs A Gibson, Dr A Kuok, Mr JW Medland, Mr T Kocovski, Mrs P Di maco, Mr L Halloran, Mr ME Hardwick, Mr BD Playford, Mr DD Yates, Mr A Savage
Jockey: Kerrin McEvoy
Prizemoney: $1,365,250
Career record 19 starts: 9-4-1
Major wins: Group 1 Doomben 10,000, Group 2 The Shorts, Group 3 Concorde Stakes
FELL SWOOP
Slot Holder: Inglis
Breeding: Not A Single Doubt — Touched In Flight
Trainer: Matthew Dale
Owners: Mrs AE Dale, Ms ME Porter, Mr MW Curtis, Mr PA Armstrong, Mr ME Richards, Mr GA Singh, Mr MJ Condon, Mr SL Dowling, In Flight Group, Single Flight, Mr I De Landelles, Miss SM Barnes, Mrs J Curtis, Mrs J Condon, Ms A Coxon, Mrs KJ Armstrong, Mr MJ Stapleton, Mrs RM Barnes
Jockey: Tye Angland
Prizemoney: $1,596,670
Career record 25 starts: 9-4-3
Major wins: Group 2 Victory Stakes, Listed Testa Rossa Stakes
CLEARLY INNOCENT
Slot Holder: Damion Flower
Breeding: Not A Single Doubt — No Penalty
Trainer: Kris Lees
Owners: Cressfield
Jockey: Hugh Bowman
Prizemoney: $1,238,600
Career record 17 starts: 9-1-2
Major wins: Group 1 Kingsford-Smith Cup, Listed Luskin Star Stakes (twice), Country Championship Final
BRAVE SMASH
Slot Holder: Australian Turf Club
Breeding: Tosen Phantom-Tosen Smash
Trainers: Darren Weir
Owners: Australian Bloodstock, Mt Hallowell Stud, Power Thoroughbreds, Mr G Kairouz, Carty Racing, Walker Racing And Bloodstock, Mr AA Brogan, Mr DG Butcher, Platinum Breeding and Racing, Dr PC Goel, Mr DI Canny, Mr TN Porter, Mr TA Ginnane, Mr M Johnston, Mr DJ O’Connor, Mr BL Shannon, Mrs KM Davis, Mrs K Cicciarelli, Brave Smash, Mr CA Bates
Jockey: Jamie Spencer
Prizemoney: $923,773
Career record 16 starts: 3-6-1
Major wins: Listed McLeod Stakes, Listed Royal Cup
DEPLOY
Slot Holder: Chris Waller Racing
Breeding: Fastnet Rock-Crimson Reign
Trainer: Gerald Ryan
Owners: Torryburn Stud, Segenhoe, Stallion Racing
Jockey: Josh Parr
Prizemoney: $597,985
Career record 16 starts: 8-5-1
Major wins: Group 2 Theo Marks Stakes, Group 2 Moreton Cup, Group 3 Show County Quality
ENGLISH
Slot Holder: TAB
Breeding: Encosta De Lago — Court
Trainers: Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott
Owners: Newhaven Park
Jockey: Blake Shinn
Prizemoney: $2,654,700
Career record 19 starts: 5-3-1
M ajor wins: Group 1 All Aged Stakes, Group 2 Challenge Stakes (twice)
SHE WILL REIGN
Slot Holder: Yu Long Investments
Breeding: Manhattan Rain-Courgette
Trainers: Gary Portelli
Owners: Mr MD Holland, Mrs KA Allison, Mr G Bachell, Mr RA Barrett, Mr MJ Cameron, Mr BP Craig, Mr M Evans, Mr B Furness, Mr JA Haworth, Mr T Hill, Mr JA Green, Mr R Kewley, Mr A Pieper, Mr JW Stone, Mr MR Tobin, Mr RS Wallace, Mr CJ Webb, Mr AR Whatson, Mr MC Field, Twoipee Racing
Jockey: Corey Brown
Prizemoney: $2,854,150
Career record 6 starts: 5-1-0
Major wins: Group 1 Golden Slipper, Group 1 Moir Stakes
HOUTZEN
Slot Holder: Aquis Farm
Breeding: I Am Invincible-Set To Unleash
Trainer: Toby Edmonds
Owners: Miss J Edmonds, Just Fun Racing, G1G Racing and Breeding, Aquis Farm, Mr CM Casey, Mr GM Lawrence, Mr PJ Mullen, Ms X Huang, Mr NA Warren, Mr SI Hargreaves, Mr PJ Ledgerhose. Mr PJ Peters, Mr SJ Shirley, Mr AK Warren, Raffles Thoroughbred Racing
Jockey: Jeff Lloyd
Prizemoney: $1,559,600
Career record 7 starts: 5-0-1
Major wins: Magic Millions, Group 3 Champagne Stakes
TULIP
Slot Holder: Coolmore
Breeding: Pierro-Musidora
Trainers: David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig
Owners: Coolmore, Cobra, Mr MJ Kirwan, Mr JW Hillier, Mr GP Heffernan
Jockey: Tim Clark
Prizemoney: $593,875
Career record 8 starts: 2-2-1
Major win: Group 3 Magic Night Stakes
No Winx but her trainer can win Everest without runner
WINX won’t be competing in the $10 million The TAB Everest but her trainer Chris Waller is still a chance to win the big race with Deploy at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
Waller took out a slot for The Everest and although he did not have a sprinter in his stable to compete in the world’s richest turf race, he then negotiated to have the owners of Deploy, trained by Gerald Ryan, to start in his Everest slot.
Many believe Waller could have won The Everest himself if he set mighty mare Winx for the 1200m sprint.
But Waller is concentrating on setting Winx for a third consecutive Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley later this month and the champion mare showed her spring campaign is right on track with her effortless romp to win the Turnbull Stakes at Flemington last Saturday.
The reward for Winx’s 21st successive was a swim at Melbourne’s Altona Beach on Monday morning while The Daily Telegraph learned on Monday that the Australian Racing Board had successfully applied to the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities to protect the champion mare’s name from being used on another racehorse anywhere in the world.
“There is a process designed to protect the names of champion racehorses and countries can make up to three applications to the IFHA every year, although all may not be approved,’’ ARB chief executive Barry O’Farrell said.
“Most applications are made after a champion racehorse is retired but there are exceptions. The ARB made application for Winx’s name to be protected even though she is still racing and the IFHA has agreed to this request.’’
Winx now joins that other great Australian mare, Black Caviar, to have their names protected while they were still racing.
Meanwhile, Ryan will ready Deploy for The Everest with a fast workout on the Rosehill course proper on Tuesday morning.
Deploy hasn’t raced since his course record-breaking in win in the Theo Marks Stakes over 1300m at Rosehill last month. At his previous start in the Show County Quality, Deploy set a new standard for the Randwick 1200m, the course and distance of The Everest.
“His normal routine is to have his fast gallop on the Tuesday so he will work with a partner on the course proper,’’ Ryan said.
“I don’t put the blinkers on him at trackwork but if I put him with a mate, he goes all right. I’m really happy with the horse, he is going very well.’’
Deploy is a natural speedster and is expected to be one of the leaders in The Everest on Saturday. Ryan said he hopes his sprinter draws around gate five at Tuesday’s crucial Everest barrier draw.
The barrier draw is less important to champion sprinter Chautauqua as he will almost certainly settle at the rear of the field early in Saturday’s race.
But co-trainer Michael Hawkes is adamant Chautauqua, who will also gallop on the Rosehill course proper on Tuesday morning, is poised to reproduced the trademark finish that his swept him to some famous wins including the last three TJ Smith Stakes.
“One thing you can’t do with champions is you can’t forget about them,” Hawkes said. “Whether he is under the radar or not, people have their own opinion, but he is on song. We’ve set him for this race all along and can’t fault him.
“It wouldn’t matter if he is $2 or $10 on the day as long as he wins that’s all that matters to us.
“He is in the right frame of mind and exactly where you want him to be. There will be a lot of speed generated and with a bit of luck, he’ll be right there.”
Originally published as From zero to $250,000 in 70 seconds for young Warrior
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