Melbourne Cup winning jockey Robbie Dolan is a ‘late entry’ into Saturday’s Stradbroke Handicap and you wouldn’t put it past the amicable Irishman to pull another rabbit out of the hat when he rides the Toby Edmonds and Stephen McLean trained Spicy Martini in Queensland’s $3 million signature race.
The late jockey juggling act became part of the story of the shifting sands of the Stradbroke when, sadly, a tendon injury sustained by Kimochi necessitated the mare’s withdrawal from the lineup.
That elevated Transatlantic, the second emergency acceptor, into the race and that meant that Angela Jones, who had been booked to ride Spicy Martini IF Transatlantic did not get a run, was now going to ride Transatlantic in the Stradbroke for the Tony Gollan stable.
That, in turn, meant the Edmonds / McLean camp had to source another jockey for Spicy Martini who is the bottom weight in the Stradbroke, being set to carry just 49.5kg … and it was Robbie Dolan who got the late call-up.
“There was a couple of us in the mix, so, I didn’t really know whether I was riding her or not. I only got the call this morning (Friday). That’s when I found out the ride was confirmed,” said Dolan.
And that 49.5kg. How much of a stretch is that going to be for Dolan?
“I walk around at probably 52.5kg … and the weight is coming off quite well so it shouldn’t be a problem,” explained Dolan.
“They have the weight listed at 50kg now … a half kilo over. I’ll see how I’m going tomorrow. I might be able to do it without the extra half kilo.”
Dolan’s Melbourne Cup win last year came aboard the $91 outsider Knight’s Choice … a win most people didn’t see coming.
Spicy Martini is not quite that unwanted in the betting but, at current odds of $41 with online betting sites at the time of writing, Dolan has been given another chance to upstage the better fancied runners in a very big race.
We know what he is capable of in that regard. It’s not new ground for him.
