I’m Wesley charms McCoull
MULTIPLE premiershipwinning jockey Brendon McCoull yesterday confirmed he will ride quality sprinter I’m Wesley in the $100,000 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) in Launceston in a fortnight.
I’m Wesley’s trainer Glenn Stevenson called on McCoull to ride his stable star in the trial at Longford yesterday after which the rider readily accepted the ride.
“The plan was to get Brendon (McCoull) to ride him in the trial and hopefully secure him as the rider for the Newmarket, so it is mission accomplished,” Stevenson said.
“The horse has done a treat since he returned from his interstate campaign and today’s trial delivered exactly what I was hoping.
“I’ll just keep him ticking over for the next week and then give him a decent gallop close to the Newmarket.”
I’m Wesley won the Newmarket last year in race record time (1.08.94) with Raquel Clark aboard but with Clark now racing in South Australia, Stevenson needed to find another rider.
The I Am Invincible gelding has not raced in Tasmania since winning the weight-for-age Conquering Stakes over 1400m in December last year following his Newmarket victory.
I’m Wesley had six starts interstate last preparation for two seconds, three fourths and a luckless seventh at Moonee Valley.
“I’m rapt to have secured Brendon for the Newmarket because there’s no better rider in the state,” Stevenson said.
McCoull had been pencilled in to ride the Barry Campbelltrained Admiral in the Newmarket, which was to be the gelding’s first start for 20 months due to injury. But after an ordinary trial in Hobart recently, connections had reservations about proceeding with their Newmarket plans.
Devonport Cup prospect Speedonova also trialled well yesterday, winning comfortably over 1400m with McCoull aboard. The Bill Ryan-trained mare will resume racing in a benchmark 70 handicap over 1400m in Launceston next Wednesday night.
“I couldn’t be happier with Speedonova’s progress and today’s trial effort has confirmed she has come back better than ever,” Ryan said. “She’ll start off in a benchmark 70 (1400m) next week in Launceston and she will progress towards the Devonport Cup.”
Meanwhile, Ryan is eagerly awaiting the results of an ECG test on his former star juvenile filly Pateena Arena who pulled up with an irregular heartbeat in her first race back from a spell in Launceston on Wednesday night.
Pateena Arena ($3.60) was well-backed to win the benchmark 76 handicap (1220m) following an impressive trial at Longford last month.
“She was as bright as a button this morning but I’ve booked her in for an ECG just to make sure everything is OK,” Ryan said