Novocastrian jockey Blake Spriggs believes an ideal barrier and expected quick early tempo will help Hightail make his sacrifices to ride in the Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) worthwhile on Saturday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Spriggs has spent almost three weeks in Queensland quarantining and training to get down to 50 kilograms for the group 1 at Eagle Farm.
Originally booked to ride Grand Piano, Spriggs picked up the ride on another Sydney three-year-old once the John Thompson-trained prospect was withdrawn.
The Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Hightail, a last-start Gold Coast Guineas winner, then drew well in five. The gelding was a $12 shot with TAB Fixed Odds on Friday and Spriggs was excited about his chances.
"He's drawn exactly where I need to be," Spriggs said.
"It just allows me to bounce out over his neck and put him to sleep somewhere and keep him comfortable.
"I think there's going to be an abundance of speed early, so we don't need to be taking any part in that. If I just allow him to settle, I think he's going to be electric with his turn of foot in the straight.
"He galloped well there on Tuesday and gave me a good feel. With the 50 kilos, I've just got to rely on that for him to sustain a long run up the straight rather than burn and be close early, which won't suit him."
Spriggs has another group 1 ride on the day after gaining the job on the Robert Heathcote-trained Minjee in the JJ Atkins (1400m).
The filly was a $41 chance after unplaced efforts at her past two starts and drawing the extreme outside for Saturday. Spriggs, though, expected her to finish strongly given the right run.
"She gets back and there's going to be a ton of speed in that as well, maybe more than the Stradbroke," he said.
"It's not where I would have liked to draw but it gives me a chance to look at them and I'm not going to strike any interference from out there.
"She's been run off her feet over the shorter trips, so with the blinkers on and the big, long straight at Eagle Farm, it looks like it will suit her.
"I think she will be one that takes the eye late and I wouldn't be surprised if she runs in the top six because she has that good turn of foot."
The Sydney-based hoop, who was raised in Newcastle, has two other rides on the program.
He will partner the Chris Munce-trained Sky Lake in the benchmark 85 handicap (1000m) and Traduce for Maryann Brosnan in the group 3 Rough Habit Plate (2200m).
Both were long-shots but Spriggs, a group 1 Metropolitan winner on Sir John Hawkwood in 2016, was grateful for the opportunities. He has rides for prominent trainer Tony Gollan booked for next Saturday and hopes to make the most of his time in Queensland as he looks to kick-start his career after three months out following knee surgery.
Spriggs, who plans to spend the next two to three weeks riding in Brisbane, was down to 49.5kg on Friday morning after starting his stint north of the border at more than 53kg.