Jockey Jean Van Overmeire to ride Golden Mile in $1 million race at Newcastle

The Hawkesbury-based jockey, who made the five-and-a-half-hour trek at Gundagai on Friday, is pleased to have plenty of chances at lower levels but is also keen to make the most of big racing opportunities like the Golden Mile in the city.

Van Overmeire got the call to ride the Golden Mile ($23) for Joe Pride in the Hunter, where the Warwick Farm trainer has four chances. The others are Coal Crusher ($4.40), Accredited ($6.50) and Estadio Mestalla ($15).

Golden Mile is the only Group 1 winner in the race, but has had two disappointing runs at the stable since arriving from Godolphin’s operation.

Van Overmeire hoped a handy draw at six and the addition of blinders would help get the best out of the six-year-old, who has earned more than $4.5 million.

“If he can get back to his past form, especially his winter form, I think he’s in the mix and probably better than a $23 chance,” he said.

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“And Joe is very good at getting those horses to come back. He’s got a great track record with those types of horses, so I have no doubt the last few runs have been a process to get Joe to show him what he sees at home.”

Pride said it’s not D-day yet for the Golden Mile, “but it’s getting closer.”

“He was at stud, he came back, he was gelded… he had a pretty full life and I hope it didn’t hurt him because everything I see at home shows that it didn’t and I have a racehorse right there ready to go,” Pride said.

“He’s two runs back now, he’s a big, nasty kid. His steady name is Sumo, that’s how he built it. So as you can imagine Sumo needed a few runs and he’s made them now so I’d like to think he can keep going with that.”

“He still needs to show what he wants and I don’t think he will have an excuse on Saturday.”

Coal Crusher A brave choice

Joe Pride nominated Coal Crusher as his best shot at The Hunter on Saturday, but quickly added: “Brave will shoot me if I don’t say this.”

Pride’s nineteen-year-old son, Brave, is part owner of Coal Crusher and gives him special attention around the stables.

Coal Crusher gave Brave, who aims to one day join his father in the training partnership, a magic moment when he won The Hunter two years ago.

The $2.2 million-plus winner hasn’t tasted victory since, but Brave believed the eight-year-old came out on top with a fourth-place finish on Hunter day. He finished third last year when Briasa won.

“He lost six kilos to Briasa last year and it was a heartbreaking run two weeks before that so he was probably a bit unlucky, but he’s always looking around,” he said.

“He’s doing really well, he’s doing really well in training and he always looks like a better horse in the spring.

“He was really good going into the last tough run. There’s been a big drop in his grades, he’s shown his class, he’s made better weight this year and he’s going to turn things around for good.”

Whatever the outcome, Brave was already thrilled with the efforts of Coal Crusher, the second horse given the allotment.

“I had just started working in the stables and they gave me shares in Coal Crusher,” he said. “We thought he would win a week or two midweek but we certainly didn’t expect what he did.

“It was an incredible moment two years ago and probably my favorite moment on the racetrack. I think it would be just as good if he wins on Saturday.”

“They’re no slouch at all, stablemates. Accredited is a very honest horse and Estadio is racing in the best form of his career and I think Golden Mile can provide some insight once the blinders are put back on.”

“It’s definitely not an easy race, but obviously out of these four races I’m backing Coal Crusher.”

Joe expected Coal Crusher to lead him or be close to him and prove “very difficult to beat”.

He thought Accredited would have a smooth run off the pace but said he “probably needs to find a length or two to get into the finish” in his bid for second on his last start at the Estadio Mestalla, which could be challenged by a wide draw on Saturday. He said Estadio Mestalla’s main target was next week’s $1 million The Gong (1600m) at Kembla.