MICK Attard isn’t “baulking” at having another crack at a city victory at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday!
And he’s hoping a change of gear and a change of jockey will put him back “in the dough”.
Hawkesbury-based Attard has decided to reintroduce blinkers for his stable flag-bearer Putt For Dough’s shot at the Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap (1300m), along with recalling Winona Costin.
“I did use blinkers on Putt For Dough earlier in his career before changing them to winkers,” Attard said on Friday morning.
“Because I feel he has become a bit field shy and been inclined to baulk at his last two starts at a vital stage in the straight, it’s time to put them back on.”
After winning a similar race over 1400m at Royal Randwick on April 20, Putt For Dough has finished seventh at Hawkesbury’s stand-alone fixture on May 4 and third back at Randwick on May 25.
Attard was disappointed last Saturday’s Randwick meeting was washed out as he genuinely believed his gelding could have won a 1600m Midway.
“I scratched him from another 1600m Midway Handicap at Randwick three weeks ago when he drew off the track, and then the races were called off last Saturday, so it will be five weeks between runs,” he said.
“He’s fresh and the 1300m will suit.
“Putt For Dough worked sensationally in the blinkers on Tuesday morning, and he has an inside draw this time.”Attard is pleased to have Winona Costin back on Put For Dough, having partnered him in his first two wins at Wyong and Gosford early last year.
“I found out only last week that she has returned from a Victorian riding stint, and didn’t hesitate to call her when Putt For Dough’s recent jockeys Tom Sherry and Reece Jones were heading north for the Eagle Farm meeting,” he said.
“Winona is very underrated, and knows this horse well, so it’s good to get her on him again.”
Attard now trains his team of 14, and says that number is adequate, at a 25-acre farm, which has a 1000m track, between North Richmond and Freemans Reach.
“We can go up to three-quarter pace, and I take the horses to Hawkesbury only when they need to have serious gallops,” he said.
Because of the 11-race program at Rosehill Gardens, Attard, along with fellow provincial trainers who have runners in the same race, will be on the move well and truly early on Saturday morning.
“Putt For Dough is in the first at 10.30am, and as a result of the earlier than usual start, they have given us a half hour leeway to get to the track,” he explained.
“We have to be there by 9am (normally it would be two hours before the first race), so I’ll be on the road by 8 am.”
Four of the five provincial tracks will be represented in Saturday’s Rosehill Midway.
As well as Attard, Wyong’s Kim Waugh, Sara Ryan and Tracey Bartley have Conrad (apprentice Zac Wadick), Cirebon (Ash Morgan) and Sebrenco (Alysha Collett) respectively, and Newcastle’s Paul Perry has another recent winner Cruel Summer, to be ridden by apprentice Molly Bourke, who racked up doubles at both Warwick Farm and Wyong midweek.
Kembla Grange isn’t left out either. Brett Lazzarini has Life Coach (apprentice Olivia Chambers), Kerry Parker has Herb (Jason Collett) and Rob and Luke Price run Extreme Freedom (Jay Ford).
Team Price also has fourth emergency Monte Maximus (apprentice Zac Lloyd).
Story John Curtis, June 28, 2024 - Pics Bradley Photos