Adam Hyeronimus can barely recall drawing a decent barrier on a Joe Pride-trained horse, but he has made the most of that rare opportunity with a thrilling victory aboard Headley Grange in the Kingsford Smith Cup at Eagle Farm.
Horse and jockey teamed up to snare the Alan Brown Stakes (1400m) from gate 17 last year, before finishing midfield from barrier 14 in the Big Dance (1600m) and fifth in the All Aged Stakes (1400m) when Headley Grange jumped from the outside alley.
Able to settle in a trailing position from barrier three in Saturday’s Kingsford Smith Cup (1300m), Hyeronimus gave Headley Grange an economical run but ironically, their good gate almost cost them as the five-year-old had to shoulder his way clear in the straight.
“Unfortunately with Joe and the rides I have for him a lot of the time, they’re normally dead-set (drawn in) the car park and I was very happy that we finally got a good gate for once in the last two years. That was the big difference today,” Hyeronimus said.
“He needs to be bottled up like I was. When I was able to dart back to the inside and push Nash (Rawiller on Private Eye) to take the run, I was worried that the horses out wide had put two much of a margin on him.
“But within three strides I’ve looked across, I’m in front, and we’re at the winning post. It couldn’t have went to script any better.”
Headley Grange ($9) fended off a courageous Jimmysstar ($3.80 fav) by a short head with brilliant mare Fangirl ($8.50) rattling home for third, another neck in arrears.
The win confirmed plans to chase another Group 1 with Headley Grange in next month’s Stradbroke Handicap (1400m), which is also the goal for barn mate and Kingsford Smith Cup sixth placegetter Private Eye.
“Good performances from both horses here today. They will both go to the Stradbroke,” Pride said.
“He (Headley Grange) has been a horse who had had no luck all autumn. He’s battled some pretty ordinary barriers, and it hasn’t quite panned out for him, but it certainly has today.”
Both Headley Grange and Private Eye will return to Pride’s Warwick Farm base in between runs before travelling back to Queensland for their Stradbroke Handicap assignment.
The $3 million feature is at Eagle Farm on June 13.
