Horse racing: Sharrock stays stoic despite Hastings jockey-go-round

Ryan Elliot will be on Ladies Man in the Livamol Classic. Photo / Race Images

Astute trainer Allan Sharrock isn’t fazed by a game of musical saddles that has forced him to find a new jockey for Ladies Man in Saturday’s $450,000 Livamol Classic at Hastings.

“I am happy with the jockey I have got and we can win,” says the Taranaki trainer heading into the next Group 1 of the thoroughbred season.

Ryan Elliot, who went on a Group1-winning tear last season, will now partner Ladies Man after Sharrock had originally intended Michael McNab to ride his stayer turned weight-for-age horse.

McNab heads to Sydney, instead, to ride smart four-year-old Sacred Satono in the A$1 million Silver Eagle.

McNab was also being chased by the team behind the Livamol second favourite Pearl of Alsace two weeks ago after he rode her to win her last start at Te Rapa, but when he originally decided to ride Ladies Man, Sam Weatherley secured the Pearl of Alsace ride.

The jockey-go-round doesn’t stop there with champion rider Opie Bosson now finding himself in the rare position in a New Zealand Group1 of riding a 30-1 chance in Poser, his original rider Brando having now bypassed the Livamol.

Trainer Mark Walker could have used Bosson on his sole Livamol starter Aromatic but has stuck fast with engaged rider Warren Kennedy after he had shown loyalty to the mare by riding her throughout the carnival.

Sharrock says while he is thrilled to have Group 1 rider Elliot aboard Ladies Man, the improved Hastings weather could play just as big a role in his chances.

“We wanted a goodish track and I think we are going to get that,” says Sharrock. Hastings was rated a soft7 yesterday but with fine weather forecast for the next two days it is likely to be back to a slow5 or even good4 by the start time of the Livamol feature race.

“We know this horse isn’t a proven weight-for-age horse but most of his rivals aren’t either and we have a happy, fit horse,” offers Sharrock.

“He will get his chance. If he can possie up and charge late we know he will get the distance and coming down the outside might be the place to be later. But I just hope the forecast is right.

“If it isn’t and the rain comes back then we’d all struggle to beat Mustang Valley.”

The latter opened the post-draw favourite at $2.20 after getting the perfect barrier four from where she should be able to sit in the first half of the field and control her own destiny.

Pearl of Alsace is the $4.20 second favourite with Ladies Man at $8 and Sharrock’s other runner Justaskme at $31 as he favoured wet track looks increasingly unlikely.

The best value option for each way punters could be local galloper Callsign Mav, who should be close to the speed and is a proven Group 1 performer at $16.

●The NZ TAB’s rep in Saturday’s A$20 million Everest in Sydney, I Wish I Win, is drifting in the market even after securing the ace draw in the glamour race.

I Wish I Win drifted from $4 to $5.50 with Australian bookies yesterday over concerns he could get locked away back on the rail as he is not noted as an early speedster.

The Everest is run at 6.15pm (NZ time) on Saturday.