Spriggs can see Headwall making more headway at Randwick

Jockey Blake Spriggs made a conscious move some time ago to focus on riding at provincial and country venues but always said he’d make an exception for the right horse.

And he believes unbeaten three-year-old Headwall fits into that category.

Spriggs is keen to see what the gelding can do first-up in the Vinery Yearlings Handicap (1000m) at Kensington on Tuesday after having to sit out racing last Saturday when trainer Matthew Smith elected to miss the Midway at Randwick.

“I said about a year ago I’m done with going to town for horses because you’ve got to give up four or five rides at the provincials on a Saturday and they’ve got to win to make the same money,″⁣ he said.

“It’s nice to ride in town but you can’t make a living off one or two rides on a Saturday. I sat on the lounge making a scratching fee on Saturday rather than having half a dozen rides at Newcastle.

“I don’t want to do it unless I’ve got a horse I really like, and this horse is that.”

Headwall made his debut at Newcastle in July and ran away with a 900m maiden after conceding a start. He backed it up some six weeks later at Kembla Grange and Smith has been patient with him since.

Spriggs, who has the “Group 1 winning jockey” tag against his name from his Metropolitan victory on Sir John Hawkwood in 2016, said both wins had merit for different reasons.