By Craig Kerry
Adam Hyeronimus is more than happy with his place in the highly competitive Sydney riding ranks.
And, understandably, he’s content to stay in town when many of Sydney’s top jockeys head interstate for major carnivals.
Adam Hyeronimus after winning on Cool Jakey at Hawkesbury on May 3. The pair combine again on Saturday at Randwick.Credit: Getty Images
The in-form hoop will shoot for a fourth consecutive bag of multiple winners on a city Saturday program when the NSW racing spotlight returns to Randwick this weekend.
The 34-year-old has landed winning doubles at standalone meetings at Hawkesbury, Gosford and Scone while several other senior jockeys have chased success at interstate carnivals. His run has included three listed race wins and the $200,000 Inglis Challenge at Scone, making for a rich return.
“I can’t complain,” Hyeronimus said. “I’m in a very good position and very thankful.
“I think sometimes it can be more of a hindrance [going interstate], unless you have some good horses to be going to these carnivals to ride.
“I think you can make more of an impact just riding in Sydney regularly, and there’s potential to make good money.”
He welcomed the extra opportunities and success, but was happy with his position overall in the Sydney jockeys room.
Collect Your Cash (second from left) wins on the Kensington Track at Randwick in April.Credit: Getty Images
“It probably just creates more of a volume of rides, more so than going to the races for two or three, which always helps,” he said of the winter carnival.
“Barring a few rides here or there, the rides I’m getting, I’d get anyway, so I think just picking up those extra ones helps trying to get runs on the board.
“I think I’ve been riding great for the last 12 months or so, so very happy.
“Obviously, James [McDonald] is the premier jockey and probably deserves a lot of the rides that he gets, but after that, it is a level playing field and I think it’s good.
“It’s competitive, and it would be a different story if there were four James McDonalds – that would be pretty difficult. So I think it does create a lot of opportunities for everyone else.”
Hyeronimus has several good chances to continue his streak on a wet Randwick track on Saturday with Agarwood ($2.60, race one), Sisu Spirit ($4.60, four), Sun God ($6.50, five), Storm The Ramparts ($7.50, six), Bear On The Loose ($9, seven) and Cool Jakey ($2.70, eight).
“I’ve got some good rides,” he said. “I think there’s four or five of them that will handle it wet, and it just makes things a hell of a lot easier in testing conditions.”
Co-trainers Adrian Bott and Gai Waterhouse provided Hyeronimus’ stakes double last Saturday at Scone with The Instructor and Stardom, and they have him aboard Agarwood, Sisu Spirit and Bear On The Loose at Randwick.
Bott expected three-year-old Sisu Spirit to challenge after winning on heavy going last start at Wyong.
“It looks a nice race for him,” Bott said. “He should relish getting out in trip. He’s been good and versatile in the conditions and is proven on a heavy track before.”
Agarwood was an impressive winner on debut last start on a soft Warwick Farm track.
“She was excellent the way she won,” Bott said. “She handled the conditions on that day, so I’d like to think she’s capable of handling the conditions there on Saturday, and she’s open to nice improvement off that. She’s definitely a smart filly.”
The stable has Bear On The Loose and last-start winner Collect Your Cash ($8) in the seventh.
“Bear On The Loose probably just went out a bit strong in that Wagga Cup last start [when sixth], but I thought he stuck on very well, being just second up, and I think he’s a horse who should relish the conditions,” he said.
“Collect Your Cash is a funny horse; he’s hard to get a real line on at home. He doesn’t show you a lot. He’s just a real tradesman, which is how he’s run and won his races, but he handles the conditions, he should appreciate the trip and is in good form.”
Eliyass leads the stable’s charge in Queensland and is a $9.50 chance from gate 13 in the $1 million Doomben Cup. He finished well back in the Hollindale Stakes last start on a heavy Gold Coast track.
“It’s probably a little bit of a sticky draw for him, but probably in a race where you expect them to be strung out, given some of the opposition there, so that might give him a chance to be prominent and find a spot you want to with him,” Bott said.
“But it was obviously a bit of a forgive run there last start. You would like to be going in with a bit more confidence off a run, but it was just a difficult race to be competitive in under those conditions for him.”
