Champion jockey Damien Oliver will miss the ride Fawkner in Saturday’s Group 1 $400,000 Caulfield Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield after being suspended at Flemington last Sunday.
Damien Oliver, above, will miss the ride on Fawkner in the Caulfield Stakes. Photo by Adrienne Bicknell.
The connections of last year’s Caulfield Stakes winner will have to find a stand in rider after Oliver was suspended form ten meetings for causing interference in the Listed $120,000 UCI Stakes (1800m).
Oliver pleaded guilty after allowing his mount Tivaci to hamper the running of Overstay on the home turn and is out of the saddle until the Blue Sapphire Day meeting at Caulfield on October 14.
Oliver will also miss the ride on Ready For Victory in the Group 1 $1m BECK Caulfield Guineas (1600m), Disposition in the Group 1 $400,000 David Jones NBCF Toorak Handicap (1600m) and Jameka in the Group 1 $500,000 Schweppes Thousand Guineas (1600m).
Glen Boss has picked up the ride on Ready For Victory for trainer Mick Price and the Ciaron Maher trained Jameka will be ridden by Mark Zahra.
Fawkner has kicked off his Spring Carnival campaign in great style with a first up win with Oliver in the Group 1 $400,000 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on September 12.
The Robert Hickmott trained grey was then beaten by the narrowest of margins when second to Mourinho in the Group 1 $400,000 Hyland Race Colours Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield on September 26.
Fawkner will be taking on a first class field in the Caulfield Stakes with Group 1 winners Criterion, Happy Trails, Kermadec, Mongolian Khan, Contibuter and Pornichet among the nominations.
Cox Plate favourite Kermadec will be stepping up to 2000m for the first time in the Caulfield Stakes and the way he ran out the Mile at Randwick in the George Main Stakes, the extra distance won’t be a worry.
