Gold Coast jockey Paul Hammersley’s experience with Junction has earned him the ride on the two-year-old in the $250,000 Inglis Classic at Randwick.
The Bryan and Daniel Guy-trained Junction did a few things wrong at his only start when he was an impressive winner at the Gold Coast two weeks ago with Hammersley aboard.
Bryan Guy hopes to make it a happy homecoming to Sydney where he trained for many years before moving to Queensland in the early 2000s.
Guy said Junction had not gone backwards since the win and he couldn’t see why he wouldn’t improve.
“It is one of the reasons I decided to go with Paul as he rode him in a trial and in the race,” Guy said.
“Paul did the job in difficult circumstances and deserves to keep the ride. He rode for years with success in Sydney and he knows Randwick.”
A $55,000 yearling, Junction is by Queensland-based sire Real Saga and is also eligible for the QTIS bonus scheme.
“It means I will decide what to do after Saturday,” guy said.
“If he wins or races really well we can leave him in Sydney. Otherwise there is plenty of money on offer up here with the bonus system.”
Junction won a trial at the Gold Coast on January 17, eight days before his debut.
That trial may turn out to be a strong guide as the promising David Vandyke-trained Umawinner ran second with another Guy-trained horse, Felino Bel, third.
“Felino Bel has gone on to win a good quality two-year-old at Grafton. It was a very good win because she sat deep the whole way and came away at the finish,” Guy said.
“She is ready to come to Brisbane and will run in a two-year-old at Doomben on Saturday and she should race well.”
Junction is one of 18 entries for the Inglis Classic. The Nick Olive-trained Fire Stoker is the only other winner among the nominations.
The colt won a 1000m-race at Canberra on debut on Friday.
