Fresh from a memorable stakes race double at Caulfield, apprentice Harry Coffey will head to Sandown with a chance to edge closer to another milestone.
Coffey brought up the first stakes race win of his career in Saturday’s Listed Christmas Stakes on the Darren Weir-trained Tuscan Sling.
The apprentice backed it up in the next race with another feature winner, guiding quality stayer Signoff to victory in the Listed Lord Stakes.
Coffey’s stakes double means he is now six city wins away from outriding his claim.
“I’ve got until the end of February to do that so the way I’m going I should, but you know what racing is like. You have your good runs and your bad runs,” Coffey said.
Coffey is booked for three rides at Sandown on Wednesday for Victoria’s premier trainer Weir who said the youngster’s success was a credit to the apprentice who competes despite suffering from cystic fibrosis.
Coffey rode three-year-old filly Poppiholla to a maiden win last start over 1875m at Kyneton in the filly’s third race appearance and he sticks with the daughter of Pentire in Wednesday’s thebigscreencompany.com.au Plate (1600m).
The 20-year-old is also booked for the Weir-trained Jennio in the Schweppes Handicap and Not Too Sure in the Le Pine Funerals Handicap.
Katelyn Mallyon, meanwhile, is still striving to get the one win she needs to become just the second female to outride her claim in Victoria.
Her three rides at Sandown include Miss Cooper who Mallyon has ridden to a Moonee Valley win and placing this month.
Melbourne Cup-winning rider Michelle Payne is the only other Victorian woman to outride her apprentice’s claim.
