Loyalty to the trainer will ensure Brenton Avdulla is comfortable with his choice of Coolmore Classic rides.
Avdulla, maturing quickly as a big-race jockey, switches from Group One winner Melito to the Grahame Begg-trained Palacio De Cristal in Saturday’s $600,000 race for fillies and mares at Rosehill.
“I always give Grahame the first call,” Avdulla said.
“He’s given me plenty of opportunities, he’s been my biggest supporter in Sydney.”
The jockey and trainer have started the Sydney autumn carnival where they left off in the spring – with a Group One triumph when Ilovethiscity held Skilled at bay to win the Randwick Guineas last Saturday.
In October, Avdulla celebrated his first Group One success in the Flight Stakes on the Begg-trained Secret Admirer.
Avdulla’s star has been on the rise ever since and he rode Melito to a first-up win in the Apollo Stakes last month.
The Gerald Ryan mare has won two Group Ones while Palacio De Cristal is yet to win at racing’s elite level.
Avdulla isn’t fazed by that missing piece on his mount’s career record which includes five wins from 25 starts.
“I rode her for the first time when she resumed on a leader’s track and her run was very good,” Avdulla said.
Palacio De Cristal started favourite when she finished third to Alverta in last year’s Coolmore Classic as part of a Doncaster Mile campaign.
This year’s edition, which attracted 21 entries at nomination time on Monday, is a target race after her pleasing return in the Millie Fox Quality at Rosehill last month.
“She has been set for the Coolmore all along and provided the breaks go her way she will be in the finish.”
Missing the start was partly to blame for Palacio De Cristal’s defeat last year but Avdulla says getting the mare to jump on terms with her rivals is next to an impossible contract.
“She is pretty temperamental but we were happy with the way she jumped last time, it’s probably about as good as it’s going to get with her,” Avdulla said.
Avdulla said he hadn’t had much time to reflect on his Guineas triumph after flying to Melbourne on Sunday to celebrate his father’s 50th birthday.
“It’s been a big few days but it’s back to business at trackwork at Randwick tomorrow,” he said.
“The last five months have been fantastic for me.
“Secret Admirer started it all and it was great to get Ilovethiscity over the line because of all the expectation.”
AAP TURF
