Wiggins Family Partnership Ready For Canberra Meet

Trainer Peter Wiggins is set to combine forces with jockey son Ryan Wiggins at this Friday’s Canberra races.

Ryan Wiggins will be visiting from Queensland and decided to take up the offer to ride his father’s horses while he is there.

“Ryan was going to be down on Thursday anyway so I said why not stay and ride my horses on Friday,” Peter Wiggins said.

“Taylor (Lovelock-Wiggins) is having a break at the moment and Ryan was pretty happy to ride a few of mine.”

The pair will attempt to achieve a win on three-year-old filly Salander in the Jenny And Brett Maiden Handicap after she ran a close second in her debut run last start.

“She run a very good race for second at Wagga first up and she is one filly I have a fair bit of time for,” the trainer said.

“She probably needs a little bit more ground but I suspect she will be very competitive again.”

Wiggins believes Salander will have a bright future.

“We will look to get her through her maiden and then set a little plan for her; I think she will be a very nice horse over a mile,” he said.

Salander is the daughter of Moscow Ballet, who himself is a son of Sadler’s Wells.

“(Moscow Ballet) stood at Hardwicke Stud which is out at Yass,” said Wiggins.

“He started his racing career in Europe and David Hayes trained him when he came out here.

“He has had a few runners in Italy that have won by a fair way as two-year-olds but I think he is just one of those young stallions who hasn’t had many broodmares go to him.

“I have had a couple and they all go quite good so I don’t mind them at all.”

Wiggins will also saddle up Weekend Liberties at Canberra on Friday.

The horse was originally bought by Mick Price for $150,000 as a yearling, with the three-year-old gelding eventually being bought by Wiggins six weeks ago.

“We bought him from the tried sales at Brisbane,” said Wiggins.

“We didn’t pay all that much for him it’s really just a horse to kick around with until we wait for some babies to start racing.

“Ryan actually rode him when he won at the Gold Coast and said he should really like the synthetic track.

“I have only had the horse for six weeks and he came straight from Queensland so he will go for a spell after this run and hopefully he can improve a little bit.”

Ryan Wiggins will have already ridden 20 winners for his father’s stables prior to this Friday’s meet.

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