EF JUN 11 - IT’S SINCERO’S STRADBROKE

By Graham Potter | Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Success in racing ultimately comes down to creating an opportunity and then grasping it with both hands. On most occasions that can only be achieved with a large dose of self-belief.

Trainer Stephen Farley and jockey Jason Taylor took that level of self-belief into the Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm on Saturday and came away triumphant.

For the month leading into the Stradbroke, Farley and the connections of Sincero had to live with the knowledge that their runner might not even make the final Stradbroke field.

As one runner after another fell out of the ‘order of entry’ the dream edged closer to reality, but was still not a certainty.

Only a week out from the race and still with no confirmed place in the big race line-up, the Sincero team took matters into their own hands. They sent the three-year-old out to contest the QTC Cup at Eagle Farm. A victory there would have sealed automatic entry into the Stradbroke.

A disappointing result by Sincero in the QTC Cup only complicated matters. His lack-lustre performance seemingly threw up a number of question marks about his ability on the big stage and many pointed Farley in the direction of the Queensland Guineas as a better option for Sincero. It was an easier option, still good to have on your CV. Thanks for coming.

But Farley was having none of that. Boosted by words of support from big name trainers Chris Waller and Peter Snowden, who told him to trust his judgement and stick to his original plan, the advice to back himself rang true with Farley and when Sincero was confirmed as the final runner in the Stradbroke, if he wanted to take up that option, Farley had a decision to make.

He decided to take the advice from his illustrious colleagues and he took a leap of faith which translated into that large dose of self-belief that is required as a launch pad for almost any ‘success story.’

But Farley still had to find a rider for Sincero.

Jason Taylor had been working hard to position himself for a good lightweight ride during the carnival and his planning paid off when he linked up with Farley and, after a gallop to confirm Sincero’s well-being with blinkers, Taylor secured the ride on the Wyong trained galloper.

You know you are an underdog when the news that Glen Boss rejected the ride makes bigger headlines than you securing the ride, but that meant nothing to Taylor.

He was on a horse with a definite chance in a $1 million race. The confidence shown in him by the trainer, the strength of Sincero’s performance in work … things were naturally building momentum for Taylor.

Once again, that large dose of self belief was in play.

Irrespective of whatever argument and counter-argument might follow, the record books will show that Stephen Farley turned Sincero out trained to the minute on Saturday and nobody could have given the horse a better big race ride than that produced by Jason Taylor.

Jason Taylor takes us through the events of the past week.

“This time of the year I always make certain my weight is right to take advantage of any light weight rides. I rang my Melissa, my manager, and said, look my weight is low. Let’s chase for what we can … anything light ride in any race. I’m light and I’m fit.

“We just sort of progressed from there. There was a couple of rides there that I was chasing but, when I heard that Glen (Boss) wasn’t going to back for Sincero we dropped the hammer a bit. I gave Melissa another call and she was of the same opinion and we really pursued that option.

“Fortunately enough, Steve (Farley) came back and said, look, I’m one hundred percent fine with that … provided we go that way. So it was still up in the air for a while, but I knew I had a ride if he was going to go to the Stradbroke. I knew I was on Sincero.

“Steve only found out officially about Glen’s decision on Tuesday. That’s when he said, it’s all good for you for the Stradbroke provided we go that way and he said he was leaning towards that. He did say that a lot would depend on Sincero’s gallop on Wednesday with the blinkers.

“I went up there on Wednesday and galloped the horse with the blinkers. The horse just reacted fantastically. I gave my advice and Steve had a visual of how the horse galloped with the blinkers. The horse just went fantastic with the blinkers on and it was all go from there.

“Chrissie Munce and myself were strumming through the form a little bit before the race and we were both thinking maybe there won’t be as much pace in the race as there looked to be on paper. As it turned out, there wasn’t.

“I was never given any specific instructions other than the main instruction which was to keep him off the fence and to try and keep him in the clear … try give him a clear run.

“With the blinkers I wasn’t too sure how he would react coming out of the gates, so I was always going to press him out of the gates and give him a few kicks to make sure he knew he was in a race.

“Then I had to worry about keeping them off and stopping them pushing him in to the rails … and I had to make sure I was following the right horse too which is important in those sort of races.

“Star Of Octaganol was coming across and at one stage there he was immediately in front of me. At that stage I eased my horse hoping he would roll across to the fence because he was a horse I didn’t want to be behind.

“He managed to get across to the rails and once he got to the rails I was on the back of Culminate which I was happy about. I thought Culminate would take me through the majority of the race.

“Virtually when that happened, I had Beaded locked to the outside of me … just putting a little pressure on me.

“McEvoy though, with her being a little mare, he didn’t want to get into a bumping duel, which is quite understandable, so he let her roll forward.

“Once I kept my horse reasonably steady and let him rolled forward, she was the horse that I really wanted to be following … just on the inside of McEvoy all the way with him taking me into the race.

“Although I was pressing along, my horse didn’t have clear running when we got into the straight. Just for a split stride he just rolled in a little bit just as he was changing stride and starting to lengthen his stride.

“That’s when Beaded sprinting away which probably worked out good because it gave him a bit more room and I was able to pop around.

“I was very confident when Beaded went past me earlier and then, once I got into the straight and my horse was gathering momentum, I thought well it is just a matter of getting out. It was just a matter of getting to the outside of Beaded.

“Beaded has been such a good mare, I knew she would have a good turn of foot and sprint away from most of these horses, but Sincero was full of running and it just worked out perfect.

“Yeah, I know people have been talking about his supposed form reversal. I don’t think it was. I think people were being too critical of him after his last start.

“He is a big horse with a big stride. You know, being drawn barrier one last time without the blinkers it was just on where he ended up and how he was racing that day. Also the horse had only got here a couple of days prior to that race so he only had a short time to try and settle in whereas the Stradbroke run was a week later.

“There was a lot to forgive him for on that run when you look at it.

“He had an extra week to settle in. Having been in that race and being buffeted around a little bit just toughened the horse up a little bit too and the blinkers made him more aware of the fact that he was in a race to do a job.

“He did it well and deserved the win.”

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