BACK IN SADDLE
Oliver chases consolation prize with Almandin
DAMIEN Oliver is confident Almandin can provide him with some late spring consolation, saying he was relieved his 20- meeting Cox Plate suspension didn’t cost him another Melbourne Cup victory.
Oliver missed the plum ride on Almandin in the Cup after being found guilty of an improper riding charge when Happy Clapper shifted into Royal Symphony for a sustained period during the run- ning of the Cox Plate. He was replaced by Frankie Dettori, with the 2016 Cup winner trapped three wide for most of the journey, finishing well back in 12th place.
“It would be a nice consolation,” Oliver said of Almandin’s chances in today’s Zipping Classic. “I was really disappointed, not being able to compete at Flemington for the four days.
“It was a little bit easier ( to deal with) when the horse got beaten ( in the Cup) ... I was re- ally nervous leading up to the race.
“I thought Almandin had a great chance, but he had a bit of a tough run there, and he wasn’t able to salute the judge on Melbourne Cup day.”
Asked if he would have ridden Almandin the same way as Dettori did, Oliver told Sportsday: “I hope not.”
Oliver, who returned to riding at last night’s Moonee Valley meeting, said he spent time in his former home town of Perth during Cup Week, but was happy to be back partnering Almandin in today’s $ 300,000 race.
“As long as he has come through the Melbourne Cup well, which I am sure they wouldn’t be running him if he hadn’t, he is going to run terrific,” he said.
Oliver said he was hungry to ride some winners over the next few weeks to make up for a second consecutive spring ruined by suspension.
“I suppose I have got to be a little careful in that area too, because that probably got me into trouble in trying a little too hard,” he said.
He admitted to having harsh words with Royal Symphony’s jockey Dean Yendell after the Cox Plate.
“We had some stern words to each other after the race,” he said. “But that’s part of racing, you can’t hold grudges.”
Oliver will return to Perth in the coming weeks to ride Tom Melbourne in the Railway Stakes and Kingston Town Classic.