Apprentice Brooke Richardson will have the handicapper to thank if she can break through for her first metropolitan win aboard Playtime at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
Trainer Todd Austin considered engaging a senior rider for Playtime in the Bill Mullen Handicap (1400m) but remained loyal to Richardson after the filly received topweight of 58 kilograms.
“Once I saw she she got 58 kilos, I had to claim again and Brooke has done nothing wrong on her,” Austin said.
Richardson, 17, made her city riding debut when finishing seventh on Playtime at Eagle Farm on October 8 and also partnered her when a much-improved fifth to Another Superior over 1200 metres on the same track two weeks later.
Richardson is a daughter of Toowoomba trainer Brendan Richardson but began her indentures with her grandfather Clem Pollard, another Toowoomba trainer, before going on loan to Austin at Barcaldine in central Queensland.
She had only been licensed for 14 months and had ridden 65 winners on Queensland country tracks before she made her city debut.
Austin expects a stronger showing from Playtime at her third run following a break after finishing third to Benfica in the Group One TJ Smith (1600m) at Eagle Farm in June.
“Her last run was very good and she was a bit unlucky after being held up for a run,” Austin said.
“That was only her second run from a spell and she’ll go even better over 1400 metres.”
Austin is disappointed with Playtime’s weight as she prepares for her Magic Millions Guineas (1400m) assignment at the Gold Coast in mid-January.
“There’s six last-start winners in this race and my filly is still topweight even though she hasn’t won for nearly a year,” Austin said.
“She’s only won two races in her career.”
Austin is likely to pull up stumps with Playtime after the Magic Millions Guineas to prepare her for the Brisbane winter carnival again.
“I’ll let her tell me when she’s ready to stop after the Magic Millions,” he said.
“She’s a very big filly. She came back into work weighing 540 kilos and she’s only lost seven kilos since then.
“When she was a two-year-old she weighed 520 kilos and ran third in the TJ Smith weighing 518 kilos.
“For a November foal she’s a very big filly but she’ll be very competitive over the longer trip.”
AAP TURF
