Southern hoop warms to the Bay

VICTORIAN jockey Andrew Mallyon will make a flying visit to Darwin today for five rides.

Andrew Mallyon rides General Truce for a win in race 1 the Maribyrnong Plate at Flemington

VICTORIAN jockey Andrew Mallyon will make a flying visit to Darwin today for five rides.

Mallyon, 25, will replace in-form apprentice Alana Brown who had surgery to remove her appendix on Monday.

His engagements are with horses from the Stephen Brown-Chris Nash stable.

Speaking from cold, wet Melbourne yesterday, Mallyon said he was looking forward to riding at Fannie Bay again after enjoying success with The Big Steel at last year’s Carnival.

“I hope to be riding in Darwin on a fortnightly basis,” he said. “The Big Steel is on track for another Darwin Cup campaign.”

After riding in the last on Dynamics at Fannie Bay today, Mallyon will board the 2am flight to Melbourne tomorrow, arriving at Tullamarine about 6am.

He will then drive for four hours to Sale for two rides from 2.30pm. “I really enjoyed riding in the Carnival last year,” he said.

“The pace seems to be a lot faster in Darwin. I feel a lot more comfortable and confident having ridden there last year.”

Mallyon said it took some time for him to get used to riding horses on the dirt but the experience he gained will be invaluable this time around.