Bradley To Take Initiative In Cup
- Tuesday, 08 March 2011 04:15
Jockey Darryl Bradley says he won't be afraid to ride aggressively on Auckland Cup second favourite Showcause on Wednesday if the pace slackens off.
Showcause was rated a $4.80 chance by TAB bookies on Tuesday for the $NZ1 million Auckland Cup (3200m) at Ellerslie on the strength of wins in the New Zealand, City of Auckland and Avondale Cups this season.
Bradley's fearless but astute riding has been a big part of the success story.
In his latter two victories he has foregone standard tactics and sent Showcause, a strong stayer without a sharp sprint, on a long, looping run out wide, hitting the front near the turn and outstaying his opponents.
"If you get held up on the horse it's going to make it very hard to get out and pick the leaders up," he said.
"The way I've had him, just rolling along as far as 800 metres, 1000 metres out, by the time we get to the point of the turn he's full of running, in clear air and attacking the line, and so far he hasn't been run down."
With barrier 15, a draw which should ensure he doesn't get caught on the fence, the stage is set for a similar type of run.
Bradley said he wasn't likely to take off as far from the post over 3200m tomorrow as he did in the 2400m Avondale Cup, but he was prepared to be aggressive.
"So far all of them have been run at a reasonable pace anyway. Something ends up bowling along, I can't see it being a real stop-start event, but you don't know and if it does then I'll just have to ride accordingly," he said.
"I'm not afraid to take the initiative and do something. I'm not afraid to ride against the pattern. If it's a good pace I know to bide my time. If it doesn't suit, I go forward."
Bradley, the champion jockey in 1998-99, has won several Group One races but said an Auckland Cup victory would be his career highlight.
He said he hoped fine weather continued to dry the track at Ellerslie as the horse would struggle on wet footing.
Showcause is trained at Cambridge by Frank Ritchie, whose family dominates the top of the market after the enforced scratching through injury for the second consecutive year of pre-post favourite Passchendaele.
The favourite at $4.50 on Tuesday was Roi d'Jeu, trained by Ritchie's son Shaune.
Roi d'Jeu was a close fourth to Showcause in the New Zealand Cup and has won his last two starts well.
Another of Ritchie's sons, Craig, has a chance with Solid Billing who won the Nathans Memorial on Saturday and is proven at 3200 metres, having won the Queensland Cup in Brisbane last winter.
