Gerald Ryan has made key gear changes on Coterie in his attempt to help the gelding recapture his form at Randwick.
As a young horse, Coterie mixed it with some future stars, running third as a two-year-old behind The Autumn Sun who went on to become Australia’s champion three-year-old.
In February of last year, Coterie ran fourth in the Inglis Sprint won by Fiesta from 2018 Golden Slipper winner Estijaab and Mizzy who is now a dual Group Two winner.
The Anthony Cummings-trained Mizzy also ran third in the Silver Eagle and the $7.5 million Golden Eagle in the spring.
Coterie has two wins and five minor placings from his 16 starts but was disappointing last time out when he finished 10th of 16 and displayed a poor recovery rate.
He has since worked well and his trainer will remove his blinkers and fit a tongue tie to the gelding hoping he can switch things around in Saturday’s Ranvet Handicap (1300m).
“He will be without his blinkers for the first time and the tongue tie will go on,” Ryan said.
“Hopefully he can be ridden a bit quieter and settle and we will see what he can do.”
Champion Sydney apprentice Robbie Dolan will ride, taking 1-1/2 kilograms off Coterie’s 55.5kg.
Punters have not deserted Coterie who was a $7 chance on Friday with five of the 10 runners under double figures,
The market was being led by the Bjorn Baker-trained He’s A Hotshot at $3.40.
He’s A Hotshot is a three-time winner from eight starts and has finished third in both runs back from a spell.
Baker will have a strong team at Randwick headed by Hinchbeast, the $4 favourite for the 1150m-race for two-year-olds.
Hinchbeast, who has a win and two third from three starts, is just outside the field for the Magic Millions 2YO Classic at the Gold Coast on Saturday week so any prize money would help.
Baker won the 2014 Classic with Unencumbered who died in March 2018 after suffering complications from surgery after standing four seasons at Three Bridges.
Unencumbered will be represented by the Toby and Trent Edmonds-trained The Drinks Cart in the Gold Nugget at the Gold Coast as he too tries to make the Magic Millions Classic field.
