Tyler Schiller has found himself in an unusual position just days out from the Stradbroke Handicap as he works double time to prepare for Queensland’s premier race.
The Sydney jockey has been booked to ride two horses, Prince Of Boom, who is safely in the field, and first emergency Freedom Rally.
If the latter gains a start, Schiller will be aboard the Tony Gollan-trained gelding, but if he doesn’t, he will partner Prince Of Boom for Robert Heathcote.
Given that he may not know the final make-up of the Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) field until final scratchings on Saturday morning, Schiller is fully preparing himself for both scenarios.
That includes getting down to 51.5kg in the event Freedom Rally sneaks into the line-up in a situation the talented young hoop admits he hasn’t experienced before.
“I definitely haven’t,” Schiller said.
“Rob Heathcote asked my manager a couple of weeks ago if I could ride him (Prince Of Boom) and I already had Freedom Rally floating around, but he is first emergency.
“I’ve got the option of both, but if Freedom Rally gets a run, I’ll be on him.
“They’re both in good form but they’re two different horses. Prince Of Boom is a high-roller and Freedom Rally gets back.
“I think the drop in the weight will help Freedom Rally and he’s a really good chance if he gets a run.”
Freedom Rally is $13 in pre-post markets having finished a luckless second in the BRC Sprint (1350m) two starts ago when he was slow to jump and rattled home to just miss, before his game fourth behind I Wish I Win in the Kingsford Smith Cup (1300m).
Prince Of Boom, specked from $51 into $41, is coming off a third in the BRC Sprint, but is yet to win beyond 1200m.
Schiller will partner Aemelius for Annabel Neasham in the afternoon’s other Group 1, the JJ Atkins (1600m) for the two-year-olds.
The filly is a half-sister to ill-fated stakes winner Brave Mead and was a Randwick winner two starts ago before securing her spot in Saturday’s field with a fighting second to Imperialist in The Phoenix (1500m).
“She’s got plenty of upside. I think she will be better ridden with a bit of cover, and we’ve drawn a good gate just to drop in where she is comfortable,” Schiller said.
“Obviously (favourite) Broadsiding is going to be awfully hard to beat, but it would be nice to be fighting out the finish with him.”
Schiller will be chasing his fourth major and first in Queensland, his maiden Group 1 coming last year aboard Mariamia in The Galaxy, while this year he has added the Canterbury Stakes on Lady Laguna and Doncaster Mile aboard Celestial Legend.
