Eaglemont can give Loy his shot at the Big Dance

Brodie Loy is very keen to be part of the $3 million Big Dance later this year and the jockey sees talented galloper Eaglemont as his big chance.

Whether the Matthew Dunn-trained galloper gets enough weight in that feature race for Loy to get that chance is a problem for later, but he’s confident he’s on the right horse in Thursday’s $65,000 Cherry Sports Group Ballina Cup (1590m) to lock in eligibility.

Eaglemont finished a gallant sixth in the 2023 Little Dance after drawing wide and, on the back of his last-start Doomben win, Loy believes he’s a horse that has what it takes to make it to the big stage at Randwick in November.

“I ride him every day in track work so it’s good to finally get on his back again in a race to get him to the Big Dance,” Loy said.

“Matt’s starting to get a real knack with these European horses, and he just keeps improving. I can’t fault him, he’s getting better and better as time goes on.

“I can’t see why he can’t be there later on this year. Hopefully I can get him there and keep the ride.”

Loy’s only ride on Eaglemont was a forgettable one, at Ipswich last June, but he couldn’t be happier with the gelding’s progress in the almost month since his last start win over the mile.

With 61kg on his back, a kind barrier will go a long way to offsetting the impost and Loy would like to position Eaglemont, $2.80 with TAB on Wednesday, in a similar spot to where Blake Shinn had him at Doomben.

“He can get a little further back than what you’d like at Ballina but he raced a bit more forward in his last start,” he said.