Melbourne jockey Dean Yendall will be reunited with Victoria Derby winner Polanski when he resumes in the Group 1 $400,000 Sportingbet C.F. Orr Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday.
Dean Yendall is back on Polanski for the first time since the pair won the UCI Stakes, above. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.
Yendall was Polanski’s regular rider in the early part of last year’s Melbourne Spring Carnival but was replaced by leading Sydney jockey Hugh Bowman late in the carnival after being suspended for careless riding.
Polanski won the Listed $120,000 UCI Stakes (1800m) at Flemington on October 5 with Yendall on board but the Robbie Laing trained three year old then went on to win the Group 3 $150,000 Jacob Park Thoroughbreds Norman Robinson Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield on October 19 with Bowman in the saddle.
Bowman then went on to win the Group 1 $1.5m AAMI Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington on November 2 on the Rakti colt.
But Yendall will have to make the most of his opportunity of regaining the reins on Polanski in the C.F. Orr Stakes with Bowman set to the return to the saddle later in the Autumn Carnival after deciding to ride at Randwick on Saturday.
“Hugh Bowman won’t be in Melbourne this week so Dean Yendall has the ride,” Laing told Racing Network.
“He’s done nothing wrong on him in the past so we’ve got no issue with putting Dean back on.,”
“When Bowman is in Melbourne he’ll ride the horse.”
After Saturday’s C.F. Orr Stakes Laing is thinking of running Polanski in the Group 1 $500,000 Cathay Pacific Futurity Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on February 22 before lining up in the Group 1 $500,000 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington on March 1.
Laing also hasn’t ruled a start in the Group 1 $1m Darley Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington the following week.
“If he comes out and runs very well on Saturday we may well go to the Futurity Stakes like All Too Hard did last year, then it’s two weeks to the Australian Guineas, so that works out really well,” Laing said.
“I notice he’s third favourite for the Australian Cup as well, so we’ve got a few options with him.”
Polanski is currently on the fourth line of betting for the Australian Guineas at $11 in Ladbrokes.com.au market order which has last Saturday’s Caulfield winner Bull Point the $6.50 favourite ahead of Cox Plate winner Shamus Award and The Quarterback both at $8.
