Beaten Australian Guineas favourite Profondo will have a new jockey when he runs in the Group 1 Rosehill Guineas (2000m) on March 19.
The $1.9 million colt’s trainer Richard Litt confirmed via a statement released on social media on Monday afternoon than Hall of Fame jockey Hugh Bowman would replace Robbie Dolan .
Dolan has been aboard for all four of Profondo’s starts, including the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes success, but Litt said he and the owners were keen to utilise the experience of Bowman.
“The owners and I were delighted to give Robbie Dolan his first Group 1 victory on Profondo last year and it was a hard decision to make this change,” Litt said.
“But when you have an opportunity to use a jockey like Hugh Bowman, who has 100 Group 1 wins and decades of big-race experience, we decided it was in the best interests of the colt to make the change for the biggest races of his career.
“We would like to thank Robbie for all his efforts in helping to prepare Profondo and he is a rider I will continue to use and have an ongoing association with.
“It was one of the hardest calls I’ve had to make to tell him of our decision.”
Dolan was aboard when Profondo failed to handle the Victorian way of going at Flemington last Saturday and finished 13th, beaten 8.5 lengths, in the Australian Guineas.
Despite the erratic performance, Litt said the son of Deep Impact had come through the race well and would head to the Group 1 Australian Derby (2400m) after the Rosehill Guineas.
“Despite Profondo’s disappointing finish on Saturday, he has pulled up well and it’s our intention to run in the Rosehill Guineas, Australian Derby and maybe the Queen Elizabeth Stakes,” Litt said.
