More often than not when Robbie Dolan rides Cisco Bay they’re somewhere in the finish so the popular jockey is quietly confident he can enhance his record on the consistent gelding at Randwick on Saturday.
Dolan has had 15 rides on the eight-year-old for four wins and four placings and sees no reason why he can’t repeat his last start victory in the Listed $160,000 Drinkwise Civic Stakes (1400m).
The inaugural Big Dance runner-up has his tricks, according to Dolan, but armed with the knowledge of riding the Cisco Bay over the past four years – his first ride on the horse resulted in a win back in February 2019 – the jockey knows what to expect.
“I’ve ridden him for three different trainers, I’ve been riding him pretty much his whole career and he’s going as well as ever,’’ Dolan said.
“Gerald (Ryan) and Sterling (Alexiou) do the best thing by the horse and keep him happy. He knows how to gallop.
“We know how to ride him now, he comes out slow and you just have to ride him back and don’t expose him too soon.
“You have to ride him for luck and be patient on him, if you can do everything right he has a serious turn of foot.”
Cisco Bay, $7 with TAB on Wednesday, hasn’t raced for almost a month since came with a strong burst from near last to first at the Randwick 1400m to top $1 million in prizemoney for his ninth win at his 53rd race start.
Punter’s Intelligence sectional data showed he ran the equal fastest last 600m of 33.81, with third placed Super Strike, but it was the 600m-200m in a sizzling 22.12 that set it up.
“I knew the speed was quick and they were getting home down the outside so I didn’t worry but you don’t want to expose him too soon because he’s clever enough,’’ Dolan said.
“He was very impressive the other day and drawn a better gate he could sneak up a little closer without doing any work.
“He’s done very well and hopefully he can build on it with a nice stakes win.”
Dolan has only had 259 rides this season which is almost third of his 756 in the 2018-19 season that saw him win the first of two champion apprentice titles.
But he’s content with the workload since his singing side gig took off after his appearance on The Voice last year.
“I’m not riding as much as I used to but my strike rate is the best it’s ever been,’’ he said.
Among Dolan’s four Randwick rides is the Gary Portelli-trained Akihiro in The Agency Real Estate Handicap (1400m) and he’s looking for a lift from the four-year-old’s resumption two weeks ago.
The gelding only beat two home behind Pascero but was just 3.4 lengths from the winner at the finish over the same course.
“He was first-up and got back, he should improve for the run and he might need the run again,’’ Dolan said.
– Racing NSW
