Champion jockey Lance O'Sullivan's decision to follow Cyclades to Melbourne next week looks like good news for Matamata trainer Graham Richardson.
O'Sullivan will ride Richardson's class mare Platonic (It's Platonic in Australia) if she resumes for the season, as expected, in the A$351,000 Craiglee Stakes (1600m) at Flemington.
"Lance hasn't ridden her
in a race before but he has ridden her in work," Richardson said.
"Who knows, if she goes well maybe he'll want to come and ride her again."
Platonic is the flagbearer for Richardson's Australian satellite stable, set up last season, but she has had little luck since moving there.
"She had three starts in a row where she should have won, but for getting checked and buffeted.
"Her last start over 1800m was disappointing but she might have been sick of the trouble she was copping.
"Hopefully she can win a decent race because it would be important for my stable in Australia."
He relishes the challenge of running transtasman stables.
- NZPA
