Ciaron Maher and David Eustace hope to continue juvenile success with Cellsabeel and Prague
Co-trainers Ciaron Maher and David Eustace are fresh from Magic Millions success and they hope to continue their stellar run this weekend. Plus, the man behind Sydney’s best jockeys.
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Trainers Ciaron Maher and David Eustace can continue their emergence as a juvenile stable powerhouse by leading in a brace of Sydney wins from boom youngsters Prague and Cellsabeel.
Prague makes his debut in the Canterbury League Club Handicap (1200m) at Canterbury on Friday night while Cellsabeel resumes in the Iron Jack Handicap (1100m) at Rosehill Gardens the next day.
Both were expensive yearlings purchases – Prague was knocked down for $1.6 million at the Magic Millions Sale and Cellsabeel was a $400,000 Inglis Easter Sale graduate – with the Maher-Eustace stable hoping they develop into Golden Slipper contenders this autumn carnival.
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The Maher-Eustace stable has a strong juvenile team this season as evidenced by Away Game’s brilliant win in the Magic Millions Classic last week.
But the hype around Prague and Cellsabeel suggests they are among the stable’s top juveniles this which adds even more interest to their performances over the next two days.
Cellsabeel is a superbly bred filly by Hinchinbrook out of Group 1-winning mare Our Egyptian Raine, herself the dam of stakes winner Egyptian Symbol. The youngster has been to the races once previously for a fast finishing fourth to Dame Giselle in the Golden Gift back in November.
Star jockey Tommy Berry has ridden Cellsabeel in her two recent barrier trial wins at Canterbury and Randwick and has retained the mount on the promising filly tomorrow.
The two-year-old opener is shaping as race of the day at Rosehill with Cellsabeel at $3.10 second favouritism behind Godolphin colt Beyliks at $2.70. Unbeaten Return To Honour is pressing at $3.60.
Annabel Neasham, who is in charge of the Maher-Eustace Sydney satellite stable, said the decision to put blinkers on Cellsabeel at her most recent barrier trial has had the desired effect.
“Tommy thought she was just going around with her ears pricked in first gear in the Canterbury trial and he thought the blinkers would help,’’ Neasham said.
“We were going to keep them up our sleeve but as I said to Ciaron we don’t really have the time to wait as every race is so important.
“She had the blinkers in her last trial and it definitely switched her on. She is a big, strong filly who has come back really well.’’
Cellsabeel is also among the early favourites at $8 for the $2 million Inglis Millennium at Warwick Farm on February 8. Dame Giselle heads betting at $6 but is a doubtful starter.
Neasham said Cellsabeel would need to win tomorrow’s race for Maher and Eustace to commit to the Inglis Millennium.
“She needs to be winning (tomorrow), if she doesn’t then we will probably be needing to chase prizemoney to get into the Golden Slipper as the Inglis Millennium prizemoney, of course, doesn’t count,’’ she explained.
Prague is a son of Redoute’s Choice out of Purely Spectacular which makes the colt a three-quarter brother-in-blood to dual Group 1 winner Stratum Star.
Berry also has the mount on Prague tonight after riding the colt in his two barrier trials, coming from near last to win at Canterbury before chasing the speedy Rulership throughout when second in a Randwick trial last week.
“Prague is a colt we have a lot of time for,’’ Neasham said.
“The 1200m will be the key to him as well. He will be doing his best work late.
“From his trials and what he has shown us at home, he is up there with the ones we like.
“He will settle forward from barrier two, we will look to be positive and try to be on pace.’’
Neasham also saddles up Soul Star (TAB Handicap, 1100m) and Cisco Bay (Bowerman’s Office Furniture Handicap, 1900m) at Canterbury tonight.
“Soul Star is in suitable race and should be very hard to beat,’’ Neasham said.
“Cisco Bay is racing well and close to a win. His breeding suggests he will run the trip.’’
Meanwhile, Neasham reported talented filly Muntaseera has come through her Rosehill trial hitout earlier this week in great order and she is likely to campaign in Melbourne while Away Game is being set for the Golden Slipper.
“Muntaseera is going to the Blue Diamond and will have a lead-up run in Melbourne two weeks out,’’ Neasham said. “She will then head back to Sydney for the Golden Slipper.
“Away Game is having a very short freshen after the Magic Millions and then will be one run into the Golden Slipper.’’
Remember seeing Cellsabeel flash home in the $1m Golden Gift? 👀@ray_hickson uses Punter's Intelligence (@racingnswPI) to illustrate how good that debut run was ahead of her return @rosehillgardens on Saturday. @tabcomau @cmaherracing pic.twitter.com/nk5FsZDU2o
— Racing NSW (@racing_nsw) January 15, 2020
BARRETT THE UNSEEN ‘VALET TO THE STARS’
Hugh Bowman is always relaxed, Kerrin McEvoy the ultimate professional, Tim Clark quiet and unassuming, Brenton Avdulla the big improver, Tommy Berry polite but competitive, Rachel King holds her own, James McDonald the coolest of the lot – and this is from a man who should know.
As valet to the stars, Chris Barrett has a unique insight into what goes on in the Sydney jockeys room.
Barrett prepares the riding gear for Bowman, McEvoy, Clark, Avdulla, Berry, King and McDonald and is there in the thick of it at a pressure-laden race day.
“It’s a competitive atmosphere, they all want to win and that’s what makes them such good jockeys,’’ Barrett said.
“On the big days, it can get a bit tense but they respect one another so it’s a friendly rivalry more than anything. I’m happy to be in there to help them in my own way.’’
But Barrett, 62, will be wearing two hats at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday as he is also the part-owner of emerging three-year-old Bandersnatch, named after a Netflix series and the $2.50 favourite in early TAB Fixed Odds betting for the Rosehill Bowling Club Handicap (1500m).
With his “magnificent seven” firmly entrenched in the Sydney jockey premiership’s top 10 rankings, Barrett could demand any of his jockeys for Bandersnatch – but he leaves those decisions to his trainer, Gerald Ryan.
“I might have a chat with Gerald about what jockey might best suit my horse but really I leave it up to him to make those decisions,’’ Barrett said.
“We go back a long way and I know Gerald’s a great judge of a horse, he’s very thorough with everything he does, and I trust his opinion.’’
Their owner-trainer relationship had its genesis more than 40 years ago when both were apprentice jockeys in Victoria.
“I rode against Gerald for many years,’’ Barrett said. “He was apprenticed at Mentone and I was at Caulfield but we came through in the same era.’’
Barrett had a successful career in the saddle that spanned two decades. He was regular rider of the talented sprinter Vitalic and rode a Group 1 winner on Celtic Spirit in the 1988 SA Derby.
But with opportunities drying up in Melbourne, he made the move to Sydney in the mid-1990s hoping to prolong his career in the saddle.
“I moved away from Melbourne because I went a bit quiet after a while,’’ he said.
“John Marshall, my brother-in-law, said why don’t you come to Sydney and give it a try. I succeeded at the provincials and rode a few winners in the city.
“But I was about 40 and when you are getting on a bit you don’t want to be trying to climb the ladder again. I thought I’ve had my time.’’
Barrett then took a job with Qantas but he couldn’t cut ties with the racing industry and accepted a role as valet to Hugh Bowman.
Jockey valets are commonplace overseas but they were not in vogue in Australian racing – until Barrett.
It’s why many visiting jockeys including young English rising sensation Tom Marquand, who is here on a “working holiday” until mid-February, call on Barrett to help them.
“I’ve been doing this for more than 20 years, but full-time for nearly eight years now,’’ Barrett said.
“My main role is to look after each jockey’s riding gear. I maintain their saddles and silks, take them home after a racingmeeting, clean them and have everything set up for each jockey every race.’’
Barrett is preparing for another hectic day at Rosehill where his seven jockeys have 41 rides between them – Bowman has five, McEvoy seven, Berry six, Avdulla five, McDonald four, Marquand five and Clark a full book of nine rides. King is suspended.
The valet calls Bowman “Captain” as the jockey has been with him for nearly two decades.
“Hughie is so relaxed, he handles the pressure better than just about anyone I know,’’ Barrett said.
“He sees me running around the rooms on race day getting their gear ready and he is always saying ‘slow down, Chris’.’’
Barrett said one of the rare occasions Bowman became a little agitated was before champion mare Winx’s final start in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick last April.
“Hugh knew she would win but he was worried ‘what if she gets beaten’,’’ Barrett said.
“He was a bit distracted and was saying I don’t want this or that with his riding gear and I had to say ‘Hughie, this is what we use for Winx’.
“Hugh then went out and rode her perfectly because that is the sort of jockey he is and despite all the success he has had over years, it has not changed him one bit.
“He has been with me from the start, he’s very loyal and I hope and think he does respect me as I respect him.’’
Barrett said McEvoy is the ultimate professional who is always studying the form before a race.
“Kerrin and Hughie are usually the last out of the room before a race because they are doing their speed maps and form right up to the last minute,’’ Barrett revealed.
“Tommy (Berry) is the same. He’s a people’s person, Tommy, polite in an old-school way. His parents brought up him to respect his elders but don’t worry, he’s as competitive as they come.
“Tim (Clark) is just a genuine guy, quiet keeps to himself in the room but he’s a very good person and a very good jockey.
“With Rachel (King), nothing fazes her and she rides so well. She is a beautifully-balanced rider.
“Then there is Macca (James McDonald), he is the coolest of the lot, nothing worries him. He just takes everything in his stride.’’
This leaves Avdulla, who will ride Bandersnatch for Barrett at Rosehill.
“Brenton is probably the most boisterous of the jockeys,’’ Barrett said. “He can get pretty loud at times when he’s watching replays but it’s all in good fun.
“He is still young but has improved so much as a jockey and he reads the game very, very well.’’
Barrett shares ownership of Bandersnatch with his son, Josh, who manages jockeys Koby Jennings, Lee Magorrian, James Innes and Rory Hutchings. They have previously raced horses successfully with Ryan.
“Awi Watching was the first horse we had and he won a few races and then there was Inz’n’Out,’’ Barrett said.
“He was a handy horse and ran second to Winx one day at Rosehill. He won over $400,000 prizemoney.
“Then when Gerald got Bandersnatch, he contacted me to see if I was interested in the horse.
“Josh and I went out to Gerald’s stables to have a look at the horse and, as I said, I trust and value Gerald’s judgment so we bought the horse for $48,000 and syndicated him to our friends.’’
Bandersnatch has had seven starts, won three and already earned more than $100,000 prizemoney.
He has shown considerable promise this campaign, scoring successive wins at Hawkesbury and Randwick’s Kensington track before his last-start second to Leviathan at Royal Randwick, so Barrett is bullish about the gelding’s chances.
“I think they will be worrying about him rather than him worrying about them,’’ Barrett said.
Originally published as Ciaron Maher and David Eustace hope to continue juvenile success with Cellsabeel and Prague