By Craig Kerry
Andrew Adkins said the decision to get his confidence back on the provincial circuit paid off on Saturday at Rosehill when he rode a winning double, including the feature Lord Mayors Cup on Touristic.
Adkins, who earlier won on Joe Pride-trained King’s Secret, put Touristic in an ideal spot midfield in the listed 2000m event before peeling out and giving the Peter Snowden-prepared galloper clear passage on the home turn.
Andrew Adkins wins on Touristic.Credit: Getty Images
The Frankel six-year-old hit the front at the 200m mark and powered to a two-length win over Major Beel in heavy conditions.
Adkins, the 2016-17 champion Sydney apprentice, had just five city winners this season before Saturday’s success, after turning his focus to provincial racing in recent times.
The double was a welcomed boost for the popular 27-year-old, who has overcome adversity, especially in July 2020 when he broke his leg, collarbone and seven ribs in a horror fall which sidelined him for seven months.
“It’s very rewarding,” Adkins said.
Andrew Adkins after his win on Touristic in the Lord Mayors Cup.Credit: Getty Images
“Obviously, any stakes winner is a very rewarding thing, but having two winners back in town, where I sort of haven’t been for a little while …
“I’ve just been trying to find that form, just build that confidence within myself. I’ve been back at the provincials and I’ve been having great success there.”
He said the change in strategy had given his career more fluency over the past year.
“Me and the manager sat down and we thought, at the end of the day it’s a job,” he said.
“We’re going to town and getting three rides on 100-1 pops, so we thought, we’ll go back to the provincials and establish that form and that confidence, and get back that eagerness about myself, start building those relationships back up.
“We’ve done that and it’s paying off with days like this.”
Adkins earlier welcomed a “good change in luck” on King’s Secret. He had ridden six runners-up since his most recent wins, at Canberra on May 9.
King’s Secret is out of the same dam as Pride’s veteran star, Private Eye, which was set to compete in the group 1 Kingsford-Smith Cup at Eagle Farm on Saturday before races six to nine were abandoned because of heavy rain.
The Fred Best Classic was moved to Wednesday at Doomben. The remaining washed out features were added to next Saturday’s Eagle Farm meeting.
McEvoy eyes JJ Atkins shot
Kerrin McEvoy was keen to ride Zebra Finch in the group 1 JJ Atkins (1600m) at Eagle Farm on June 14 after the Godolphin prospect was strong to the line to break through over 1300m at Rosehill on Saturday.
The Exceed And Excel colt, fourth then third in races won by Aerodrome, was a $4 chance from gate one for the two-year-old race to open Saturday’s program, and he settled outside leader Zoutanium.
The pair went stride for stride down the straight, with Chris Waller-trained Hidden Achievement making ground late, but Zebra Finch prevailed by a half neck to Zoutanium. Hidden Achievement was a half-head third.
Zebra Finch was into $15 for the JJ Atkins after being a $101 chance in early markets, and McEvoy was hoping to ride him there.
“It wasn’t a big winning margin, but I’m sure with a better quality horse to aim at, he’s going to be better again,” McEvoy said.
“All going well, I’d send him up there because he rides like he’s going to get a mile.
“They made the call to put the blinkers on, which was a good call by all of us. He’s on the improve.”
It was part of a double for McEvoy and Godolphin trainer James Cummings, who combined later with Kerguelen in the benchmark 78 over 1200m. First-up and favourite, the Lonhro four-year-old overhauled Brave One for a long neck victory to make it three wins in six starts.
Dylan Gibbons also rode a double on the day, taking Half Yours (Tony and Calvin McEvoy) and Liberty State (Team Hawkes) to wins in the last races. He also had a double last Saturday at Randwick.
Quiet finish for Railton
Outgoing Racing NSW chairman of stewards Steve Railton issued only a few cautions on his final day in the job on Saturday.
Long-time deputy Tom Moxon now takes over from Railton, who is moving into a mentorship role.
Nock on course for title
Mickey’s Medal was tough to break a 10-month drought and help gun apprentice Braith Nock extend his Sydney premiership lead at Rosehill on Saturday.
Wide and without cover throughout, Mickey’s Medal was still able to take the lead at the 300m mark and clear out for a three-quarter length victory in the 1500m benchmark 72.
“He was able to travel really good and he was actually really relaxed coming to the 600, I just had to wake him up,” Nock said.
Nock went to 29 winners this season in town, five clear of next best Molly Bourke in the Sydney apprentices’ premiership. He also has 91 winners statewide, just two off the lead in the overall NSW title.
Edited By wipes mistake
Apprentice Jace McMurray was relieved after Edited By lifted late under hands and heels, riding to narrowly win the 1500m benchmark 78 handicap on Saturday.
Riding for new boss, Randwick trainer Michael Freedman, McMurray led on Edited By and dropped the whip when he went to swap it over to his other hand at the 150m mark as the challengers loomed.
He held on by a long head from Pure Alpha, with Little Cointreau a neck further back.
“I thought, please, the post come quicker. But, yeah, a little mistake there,” McMurray said.
It was a first Saturday winner in Sydney for the 18-year-old, who came to Freedman on loan from the Gold Coast this month. The three-kilogram claimer’s first Saturday city winner came on Fiorsum Fred at Scone two weeks ago, and he had a metro double for Freedman on Wednesday at Canterbury.
Freedman racing manager Sophie Johnson said four-year-old Edited By had been a difficult horse to place and could now go for a break.
Ryan mare returns on song
Hawkesbury trainer Blake Ryan will hope for another wet track at Rosehill in two weeks with Lady Extreme after she ended a frustrating run with a flashing finish to win the Midway Handicap (1100m) on Saturday.
The five-year-old mare, a $4.40 chance, launched late under Alysha Collett to catch Let’s Go Again in the final strides.
Lady Extreme, a $250,000 yearling then bought online for $27,500 and given to Ryan to train, was first up and without a trial because washouts.
Ryan said the mare deserved the win after four consecutive seconds in town last preparation, and she would next chase a 1200m Midway at the track on June 14.
“I didn’t have her then, but as a young filly she had just a few bone changes and growth issues,” Ryan said.
“I got her when she was three and a half and she hadn’t even trialled yet. I’m good mates with the owner and he asked me to give her a crack and she’s never really looked back.
“She’s over all the little issues she had as a younger horse and soft tracks help.”
