Written by Paul Vettise
A lean and mean Brenton Avdulla is hungry for Group 1 success with the Sydney jockey peeling off the kilos this week to ride an in-form TAB Epsom H. contender.
A strict diet combined with regular exercise is the traditional method of weight loss and it’s worked for Avdulla, who will ride the Kris Lees-trained Gem Song (Your Song) at 52kg in the feature mile at Randwick.
“I rode at 55kg last Saturday and it’s not only me, like anyone you let yourself go on Saturday night and on Sunday you let yourself rebound a bit and start again,” Avdulla said.
“I was 57.5kg on Sunday afternoon and I’ll do the weight. I’ve done it a fair few times and I know how my body is. Plenty of exercise and eating an apple for breakfast is the highlight of my day.”
Gem Song was one of Avdulla’s mounts last Saturday and he was pleased with the 4-year-old’s effort for second in the G2 Shannon S.
“I don’t think this is a really strong edition of the Epsom. It’s still a very competitive race, but my horse is going well and I was happy enough with him last week. He’s drawn well and he’s down in the weights.”
“It’s still a very competitive race, but my horse is going well and I was happy enough with him last week.” – Brenton Avdulla.
Avdulla will also partner the Lees-prepared pair of Fall On A Star (Zoustar) in the G3 Keeneland Gimcrack S. and Graff (Star Witness) in the G2 Bisley Workwear Premiere S.
“I like her in the fillies’ edition and Kris Lees doesn’t usually get too many horses up and running in these early 2-year-old races,” he said.
“She’s a really big, leggy filly and I thought she closed off her trial really well. I can see her being one of the strongest coming late on Saturday.”
Avdulla will ride Graff in the G2 Bisley Workwear Premiere S.
Fall On A Star won her trial on the Kensington track at Randwick in Avdulla’s hands last month while he has been aboard Graff in his last two starts when third in the G3 Concorde S. and fourth in the G2 The Shorts.
“He’s raced well both times, he obviously runs into a strong field again with Classique Legend and Osborne Bulls. He’s racing against the A-graders and performing really well. I’m sure he won’t disappoint,” he said.
“He’s racing against the A-graders and performing really well. I’m sure he won’t disappoint.” – Brenton Avdulla.
Avdulla’s book is completed by the Gary Moore-trained Mr Colorful (Headwater) in the G3 Arrowfield Breeders’ Plate, and the Chris Waller pair of Come Play With Me (Blackfriars) in the G1 Heineken 3 The Metropolitan H. and Charge (Zoustar) in the Snitzel Sprint.
Mr Colorful finished third in his lead-up trial on the Kensington track and he’s from the family of Montana Flyer (Flying Spur), a 2-year-old winner who went on to claim the G2 Roman Consul S.
Montana Flyer
Former Western Australian mare Come Play With Me was runner-up in the G3 Premier Cup in her first appearance for Waller and last time out was sixth and less than three lengths off the winner in the G3 Kingston Town S.
Charge, who won the G3 Red Anchor S. as a 3-year-old, was unplaced when resuming at Newcastle and should have derived benefit from the outing.
