It’s been more than a year since Lucky Liaison won a race but his trainer Kristen Buchanan hopes a return to the scene of his last victory can trigger the same result.
The six-year-old is the topweight in Wednesday’s TAB Rewards Hcp (2200m) with apprentice Samantha Clenton to take three kilograms off his 60kg.
Buchanan altered plans to run Lucky Liaison at Randwick on Saturday after he drew wide and was pleased when he came up with gate three at Warwick Farm.
“He drew awkwardly on Saturday and there didn’t seem to be much speed in the race,” Buchanan said.
“And it seems to me he doesn’t like racing at Randwick as much as he does Warwick Farm so it’s the better option.
“It’s good to have Sam back and in form. She has been riding winners and with her claim he gets some weight relief but doesn’t have to carry too much dead weight.”
Clenton’s season has been interrupted by suspension and injury, most recently in late May when she was sidelined for a month after a fall at Newcastle.
At the time of that accident, Clenton was leading the NSW apprentices’ premiership but in her absence, leading metropolitan junior rider Winona Costin has taken a commanding lead.
Costin has also worked her way into the top 10 Sydney riders with the battle for No.1 back on in earnest at Warwick Farm.
When James McDonald left for a six-week stint in England at the beginning of June, he relinquished thoughts of defending the title.
But he comes back with five meetings remaining this season still in front with Blake Shinn one behind and Hugh Bowman a further 1-1/2 wins adrift.
Both McDonald and Shinn have full books of seven scheduled rides at Warwick Farm while Bowman has five.
