Group 1 winning jockey turned trainer Craig Carmody is in for a rather interesting outing at Newcastle on Wednesday.
“I’ve taken two horses to the races before but not three,” Carmody said on Tuesday. “I will not know myself, will not know which way I’m walking.”
A former champion apprentice Carmody had a thrilling major race winning association when riding Intergaze, which ruined Octagonal’s farewell.
The highly successful riding career ended following a four year riding stint in Singapore and Carmody took at a license to train six years ago.
“I’ve got half the team going to the races tomorrow,” the quiet achiever laughed.
First-up at Newcastle is Emperor’s Banquet which hasn’t started since October when finishing fourth behind Rebel Dane. The latter having franked the form when just being beaten by the headline maker Pierro at Rosehill last weekend.
“Emperor’s Banquet has shown a lot of promise,” Carmody said.
“He is first-up and I expect him to be running on, there is improvement in him and he’ll be better as the races get longer but he is not a bad horse and is ready to race.”
Last start Newcastle winner Xatel Ekwa and stablemate Fourtracks Forkids clash in a fillies and mares event over 1400m.
“Both have got good hopes,” Carmody said.
“Xatel Ekwa gets back a little in her races and the rail is out six metres so it might not be conducive to her style of racing but she has won three at Newcastle so with a bit of luck she’ll be in the finish.
“Fourtracks Forkids is nicely placed in this race. She has won a city class race at Newcastle, she has drawn nicely and has a decent chance.
“She is backing up within seven days but she has done well in the stable.”
Carmody is definitely hands on for the all round horseman still rides trackwork each morning.
“I love riding them work, it is nice to have a feel of them,” Carmody said.
And the stable is enjoying plenty of success although two-year-old cheapie Everage will not be running in Sunday’s Black Opal Stakes at Canberra.
Carmody and good mate, the Victorian based trainer Mick Kent, paid $20,000 for Everage at last year’s Inglis Classic Sale.
“I rode for Mick when I was riding in Singapore,” Carmody said.
“There was a $50,000 bonus associated with her latest win at Canberra and she has now won $150,000.
“She had a couple of quick runs and I’ll let her get her breath. I’m looking at starting her in one of those fillies lead-up races heading into the Golden Slipper.
“She is well placed at the set weights, we’ll pick out the nicest one for her.”
The cheapie is not nominated for the Golden Slipper is not likely to be a player.
By Craig Young
