Thomas Huet’s willingness to ride all over NSW has earned him the mount on Queenslander Rudy in the Group Two Ajax Stakes.
Rudy will be attempting to win his first race since the Group Two Villiers at Randwick in December 2014 when he tackles Saturday’s Ajax Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill.
“We tried Glen Boss, Kerrin McEvoy and a few others but they were either going to Melbourne or had a another ride,” Page said.
“My husband (former top trainer John Page) likes to watch races on most days and he noticed Thomas was riding at a lot of NSW racetracks.”
“John was really impressed with him and the fact he has linked with Paul Perry. John suggested I book him for Rudy. The good thing is Thomas really wants to ride Rudy.
“Sometimes if you are a visitor you can get a jockey who just goes through the motions and it is a waste of time. But I am sure Thomas will give Rudy every chance.”
Huet rode more than 450 winners in France before coming to Australia in 2013 where he has gradually built up his reputation.
He has ridden 51 winners this season and formed a lethal partnership with Perry.
Rudy ran fourth in last year’s Group One Doncaster but Page is resigned to missing the race this year.
“We got in automatically last year because he won the Villiers. This year we are right on the edge of getting a start,” she said.
Page said Rudy’s main aim would be the Group Three JRA Plate (2000m) at Randwick on April 16.
“It is why we have started him off at 1500 metres rather than 1200 or 1350. It is hard to find the right race for a horse like him in Brisbane because he gets big weights,” she said.
She said after Sydney, Rudy would hopefully be brought back to Brisbane for the winter carnival.
