A desire to keep his Hong Kong Derby (2,000m) options open saw Hugh Bowman opt against making an early commitment to ride Mickley in the final two legs of the four-year-old series.

The gun Australian jockey’s call prompted the booking of champion British jockey Ryan Moore for Sunday’s Classic Cup (1,800m) and the Derby, leaving Bowman to team up with Sky Trust this weekend.

Bowman has ridden the John Size-trained Mickley in six of his seven Hong Kong starts, including a 1,600m victory in December and a fast-finishing fifth in the Classic Mile.

“I was offered the ride but, understandably, they wanted a firm commitment through to the Derby, which I wasn’t willing to provide,” Bowman said.

“John and I agreed that he’d look for someone else and who better than Ryan Moore, who’s obviously ridden plenty for John. If he wins, I’ll take my hat off to them and there’s no reason he can’t.

“His profile is good but for me, making a long-term commitment with other options, I just wasn’t prepared to do it.”

As for his Derby options, Bowman is keeping his cards close to his chest.

“Not sure yet. If the Derby was this weekend and I had to chose one and [Mickley] was on the table, I would choose him. But for me at the time, a decision had to be made and I wasn’t ready to do that,” Bowman said.

Hugh Bowman drives Mickley (left) to victory in December.Hugh Bowman drives Mickley (left) to victory in December.

One of Bowman’s potential Derby prospects was Family Jewel, who loomed as a top chance in Sunday’s Class Three Yan Tin Handicap (2,000m) but was scratched on Thursday with a fever.

The setback is untimely, given the Caspar Fownes-trained gelding needs to boost his rating of 69 to ensure he makes the Derby field.

Chasing back-to-back Classic Cups after booting home Size’s Helios Express 12 months ago, Bowman is hopeful Sky Trust can pass a distance test and make an impact in what shapes as a wide-open race.

A two-time winner when racing on the speed earlier this campaign, Sky Trust has been ridden more conservatively on his past two starts over 1,400m with the Classic Series in mind.

The Fownes-trained gelding rocketed home from near last to run a close second to Bundle Award before crossing the line first last start but being demoted to second on objection after causing interference to Winning Gold.

“He’s certainly got the talent, but I think the distance is a little bit of a query,” Bowman said.

“That’s probably the case for half the field, to be brutally honest. It’s a real help that he’s drawn so soft [in barrier two] because he can get so aggressive.

Related articles

“I’ve said it before, I have to sort of bury him out of the barriers but by drawing that gate, I won’t have to wrestle him back to last to get cover. I’ll be able to find the back of something and once he relaxes, he’s really easy, but you’ve got to force the issue for him to settle.

Sky Trust (yellow and green colours) and Winning Gold race tightly in the concluding stages.Sky Trust (yellow and green colours) and Winning Gold race tightly in the concluding stages.

“He’s getting better with each run and he’s a horse on the rise.”

Bowman feels a potential lack of speed could help Sky Trust handle his first attempt at 1,800m. The first two in running in the Classic Mile, Glory Elite and Lucy In The Sky, have bypassed the Classic Cup, which leaves Californiatotality and Noisy Boy as the likely pace influences.

Bowman also believes the Classic Cup might not prove to be the key form reference for the city’s most prestigious race on March 23.

“I think the horses that feature in the Classic Cup will struggle when it comes to the Derby. I might be wrong, you never know,” he said.

Comments0Comments