Jockey Hugh Bowman has lost his appeal for an 11-meeting careless riding suspension from Melbourne Cup Day leaving connections of Impending chasing a new rider for Saturday’s Group 1 $1 million Darley Classic (1200m).
A new rider is needed for Impending in the 2017 Darley Classic on Emirates Stakes Day with Hugh Bowman suspended. Photo: Steve Hart.
Flemington Racecourse is host to the final Melbourne Cup Carnival meeting on Saturday and Bowman was to have had rides in both of the day’s Group 1 races.
He will miss out on the last of the elite level spring racing however with the Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board on Wednesday rejecting his appeal against his suspension incurred for the ride on Warranty in the Lexus Plate on Tuesday.
Already New Zealand trainers Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards have secured Michael Dee in a late alternation to ride their multiple Group 1 winning Kiwi raider Gingernuts in the Group 1 $2 million Emirates Stakes (2000m).
James Cummings and the Godolphin stable though are yet to name a new Darley Classic rider for their four-year-old Lonhro entire Impending.
Impending is drawn barrier 11 of 14 in the Darley Classic field and is at $8 in the latest markets on the ‘Straight Six’ sprint through Ladbrokes.com.au.
Winner of the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1350m) in Brisbane over the winter with Corey Brown, winning rider of Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup aboard Rekindling, Impending made his four-year-old debut in Sydney on October 14.
Lining-up on The Everest Day he finished a narrow second behind In Her Time in the Listed $500,000 Sydney Stakes (1200m) with Bowman aboard from a wide barrier 13 of 14 draw carrying 58.5kg in the Randwick showdown.
Impending gets the chance to improve second-up in his first run at Headquarters, again facing the Benjamin Smith-trained Time Thief mare In Her Time.
In Her Time missed out on a spot in the inaugural $10 million Restricted The Everest race over 1200m at Randwick on the same day.
She too sees Flemington for the first time in Saturday’s Darley Classic, Corey Brown hoping to continue his fairy tale November with a win from the inside alley.
In Her Time is at an equal quote of $8 with Impending, but there are three sprinters shorter in the markets all coming off lead-up runs in The Everest.
The Peter & Paul Snowden-trained Redzel is tipped as the horse to beat having made it five consecutive turf triumphs in The Everest.
Jockey Kerrin McEvoy retains the ride on Saturday with Redzel to jump from barrier 10, which last produced a Darley Classic winner in 2012 with the also Peter Snowden-prepared Mental.
The Everest runner-up Vega Magic was brave in defeat, the Lindsay Park-trained dual Group 1 winner getting the chance to turn the tables on fellow five-year-old Redzel on the weekend.
Craig Williams partners the son of Lope De Vega from gate four and Vega Magic has had the benefit of an extra lead-up run when fifth at The Valley behind Hey Doc in the Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m).
Seven-year-old Chautauqua was the controversial late scratching under the lights that night from the Manikato Stakes at the barriers.
Hawkes Racing were obviously displeased with the decision by on-course vets not to allow the ‘Grey Flash’ to line-up.
Chautauqua hasn’t won since making history with a third Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) victory in Sydney during the autumn.
He was officially last seen closing late to run one-and-a-half lengths back fourth in The Everest.
In both 2014 and 2015 the international Group 1 champion ran second as the beaten Darley Classic favourite and gets the chance to finally get top prize in 2017.
