Heavyweight jockey Brad Rawiller has received a late call up to ride Cliff’s Edge in the Group 3 $150,000 CS Hayes Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on Saturday after Irish jockey John Allen failed in an appeal against a careless riding suspension.
Brad Rawiller will ride Cliff’s Edge, above, in the CS Hayes Stakes at Flemington. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Allen was hoping to get a reduction in the nine meeting suspension but will now be out until midnight on Sunday.
Rawiller will be having his first ride on Cliff’s Edge who surprised trainer Darren Weir with a first up win in the Group 3 $150,000 Ladbrokes Manfred Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on February 3.
“He surprises me everything he does,” Weir said after the race.
“He really doesn’t show us much at home but I knew physically he had come on and he was showing a great action in his work.”
Cliff’s edge rose to prominence during the 2017 Melbourne Spring Carnival with a win in the Group 3 $350,000 Ladbrokes Classic (2000m) at Caulfield and then went on to run second to Aloisia Group 2 $200,000 Drummond Gold Vase (2040m) at The Valley.
Weir then tested the Canford Cliffs colt at weight for age and after racing on the pace faded to finished sixth to stablemate Tosen Stardom in the Group 1 $2m Emirates Stakes (2000m) at Flemington.
Cliff’s Edge has a tough task ahead of him in the CS Hayes Stakes and as well as drawing awkwardly at barrier thirteen in the original draw, has to lump the top weight of 58.5kg.
Early betting for the CS Hayes Stakes at Ladbrokes.com.au has Cliff’s Edge as the $6 second pick behind his stablemate Peaceful State at $5.
Apprentice Ben Allen takes the ride on Peaceful State who drew nicely at gate three.
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