Jockey Brenton Avdulla will be free to ride favourite Secret Admirer in the Doncaster at Randwick on April 21 after being suspended at Rosehill last Saturday.
Secret Admirer is the reigning favourite at $7.50 for the Group 1 $2m Doncaster Mile (1600m) and Avdulla is confident the four year old can win another Group 1 over the famous Randwick 1600m.
Jockey Brenton Avdulla will be free to ride Secret Admirer in the Doncaster - photo (c) Taron Clarke
“I think she is the best Randwick miler racing in Sydney,” Avdulla said.
“I’ve won a Flight Stakes and an Epsom on her and hopefully she can win a Doncaster for me.”
“She’s definitely on target. History said she couldn’t win the Coolmore and look how close she came.”
Avdulla has lodged an appeal against a careless riding suspension arising from his ride on Kneeling in the Darby Munro Stakes. Stewards found him guilty of causing interference at the 900m resulting in Sacred Pins and Famous Seamus being checked.
After a submission to stewards this morning, Avdulla will commence his suspension after Easter Monday’s Randwick meeting and he will be available to ride on Doncaster Mile day on April 21.
Avdulla has forged a great association with the Grahame Begg trained mare, having won the Group 1 $400,000 Coolmore Flight Stakes (1600m) at Randwick in October 2010 as well as last year’s Group 1 $500,000 Racingnetwork.com.au Epsom (1600m) at Randwick last spring.
Begg has nominated Secret Admirer for two Group 1s this Saturday at Rosehill, the $400,000 George Ryder Stakes and the $400,000 Queen Of The Turf Stakes.
Both races are over 1500m and at this stage Begg is leaning towards the George Ryder with his mare after she was narrowly beaten by Ofcourseican in the Group 1 $600,000 Coolmore Classic (1500m) at Rosehill on March 24.
The George Ryder has attracted a strong field including the top Kiwi Group 1 performer King Mufhasa, fellow Kiwi He’s Remarkable, Chris Waller’s quartet of Albert The Fat, Danleigh, Metal Bender and Rangirangdoo, Gai Waterhouse’s Niagara and Coolmore Classic winner Ofcourseican.
The Gary Portelli trained Somepin Anypin hasn’t recovered from a hoof injury and will not run in the Doncaster Mile.
Jockey Blake Shinn will join fellow riders Brenton Avdulla and Damien Oliver on the sidelines after being suspended at yesterday’s Randwick meeting.
Stewards found Shinn guilty of careless riding in the Bowermans Office Furniture Handicap (1400m) for shifting in at the 100m on Platinum Red causing Snip’N’ Paste to be checked.
Shinn will commence his suspension next Tuesday, will miss Australian Derby day but will be right to ride at the ATC Oaks meeting on April 21.
