ROB'S SHOUT - BIG DECISION AND THAT 'SENIOR RIDER VERSUS APPRENTICE' JOCKEY SUBSTITUTION RULE

By Robert Heathcote | Thursday, September 12, 2013

Robert Heathcote is the leading racehorse trainer in Brisbane. 'Rob's Shout' - the personal blog of the multi-premiership and Group 1 winning trainer appears exclusively on HRO.

Hello again.

Last Saturday saw an ‘unusual’ circumstance regarding the substitution of a jockey on my horse Big Decision.

I had originally booked Glen Colless on the day of the nominations on the Monday prior to the Saturday’s race. Glen injured himself in a track work incident on the Thursday and advised on Saturday morning he was not fit to ride.

I replaced Glen with Ryan Wiggins. On the day, Ryan then took ill so I had to make a new replacement.

Now the rule is that a senior rider should, where possible, be replaced by another senior rider.

I do not totally agree with this rule as the rule does not take into account the difference in the quality of all senior riders, or just as importantly, the preference of the connections and trainer for a specific replacement choice of rider.

This rule, in the words of the acting chief Steward, Daniel Aurisch, is to protect the punters who have wagered on the horse, expecting a senior rider to take the mount.

In this instance, Colless and Wiggins were unavailable and I was instructed to replace them with a senior rider … even though the champion apprentice Tegan Harrison was available.

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The problem I saw last Saturday was that the choices for the connections as replacements involved lesser profile senior riders as well as apprentice Tegan Harrison who the owners wanted to ride the horse.

The owners wanted Tegan to replace Wiggins but it was only after deliberation from the stewards and the unavailability of a few of the remaining senior riders who had commitments at Caloundra that I was permitted to replace the senior rider with apprentice Tegan.

In this instance I am thankful the stewards granted my application to use Tegan, which I believed was common sense, but it is a rule which I think needs addressing for future circumstances.

Of course there may well be varying circumstances at times but I would like to think common sense and the preferences of the connections should have some say in the choice of replacement rider.

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In this particular case, whilst Big Decision did not win, Tegan gave us a cracking ride and the horse ran second picking up considerable prize-money for connections.

You just have to feel for the owners of Fast Lover in the last race.

No jockey was available to replace an unavailable rider so the horse had to be scratched.

Wow, that is frustrating and very disappointing for its connections.

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The Spring carnival as such is already under way but its starts for my stable on Saturday.

We have three runners venturing down south to Rosehill chasing some black type riches.

Each of our runners are well-performed being Solzhenitsyn, Fire Up Fifi and Fillydelphia. Their handicap ratings are such that it makes it extremely hard to place them here in Brisbane and be competitive with the weights they are asked to carry so it’s a case of have saddle , lets travel!

Solzhenitsyn is lining up in the Group 2 Theo Marks Stakes. Rain Affair is sure to run them along but, if Solzhie can reproduce his excellent first up run when last time in Sydney, I believe he can be competitive. Mind you, The Big Russian is asked to carry plenty of weight in this handicap.

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The ‘girls’, Fifi and Filly Dee are really up against it in the Sheraco Stakes with the likes of Appearance in the race. The 1200 is short of their best distance but I still expect a good solid showing from them both.

Fifi had an excellent winter carnival with a couple of Stakes wins and I reckon she has come back stronger, happier and, hopefully, better but the wide barrier will now make it incredibly tough for her!

Fillydelphia was in the wars over the winter as she copped an eye ulcer which required hospital treatment for several months. Fortunately she has recovered fully and she certainly has the class to race well. She might just need the run though, but gate 4 helps her cause.

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Melbourne, yeah, that sure is hotting up with some exciting racing! It can wait for us for the time being.

Solzhie and Fifi will head down there next week and The ‘Buff’ will fly down to join them in two weeks’ time.

It’s getting that time of year again with a few gooduns about to race again. It is certainly damned hard to win ‘down there’, but boy are they sweet when they are on the big stage.

Hopefully we can get a slice of the action again this spring!

Take care, happy punting and good health.

Robert

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