Out of sight, out of mind, is the curse for jockeys as they enter the biggest time of the year.
Dean Yendall fits that bill having spent nine months out of the saddle following a fall at Terang late last year that left him with neck fractures.
Returning to the saddle in late August and with only one city winner to his name in that time, Yendall gets an opportunity to add to his Group 1 tally of six at Caulfield on Saturday.
James Cummings and Godolphin have called on Yendall to partner lightweight Toorak Handicap (1600m) contender Character in the feature mile handicap of Caulfield’s three-day Carnival.
Yendall’s last Group 1 win came aboard Scales Of Justice in the Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield while his last Stakes success came during last year’s Melbourne Cup Carnival at Flemington.
The jockey’s ability to ride light attracted the Godolphin team to call on Yendall for Character who was luckless in the Listed Paris Lane Stakes (1410m) at Flemington last Saturday.
Character has 52kg, the same weight as I’m Thunderstruck carried to victory last year before going on to claim the Golden Eagle at Rosehill.
Cummings said the Paris Lane effort at Flemington last week did not take a toll on Character.
“He’s got plenty of stored energy after his run in the Paris Lane last Saturday at Flemington, he had more to offer there and was not beaten far,” Cummings said.
“The horse is really warming back to form and improving with each run this campaign.
“I don’t mind the form from the run at Newcastle, which is why we brought him back to Melbourne and to substantially better tracks than he looked like receiving in Sydney.
“If he did jump out of the ground on a seven-day back-up in a Toorak, then he might be a smoky in the Golden Eagle three weeks later.”
