Beadman answers SOS from Sydney
The Jockey Club yesterday gave its blessing for Darren Beadman to travel to Sydney to ride More Joyous in a barrier trial on Friday, which could set up a third win in the world's richest two-year-old race on April 4.
Beadman answered an SOS call from a friend, John Singleton, who owns the highly bred filly, one of the best-backed in early betting on the Golden Slipper Stakes.
More Joyous won brilliantly at her first start, but then put on a bucking exhibition at her second outing and tailed out.
The 'culprit' has been determined to be the tiny saddle of jockey Nash Rawiller, which apparently pinched More Joyous across the wither and caused her bucking-bronco reaction. Beadman will ride More Joyous in a compulsory trial, and assuming everything goes as planned, the filly will then start in the Group Two Reisling Slipper Trial on March 21 and the AAMI Golden Slipper Stakes at Rosehill (April 4). He promised to ride More Joyous with a more substantial two-pound saddle 'at a minimum'.
Yesterday, Jockey Club licensing secretary Kim Kelly said the club had given Beadman permission to head to Sydney for the trials.
He is, of course, expected to be back in Hong Kong for Sunday's big Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup meeting at Sha Tin.
Beadman had already agreed (subject to Jockey Club approval) to ride Singleton's excellent staying filly, Tuesday Joy, on Dubai World Cup night (March 28) in the Group One Dubai Duty Free (1,777m).
Tuesday Joy has won both her two runs from a spell in Sydney after a spring campaign imploded following a bleeding attack.
'I've also promised Singo I'll ride Tuesday Joy in the Arc de Triomphe if she runs,' Beadman said.
The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe remains a burning ambition for Singleton, who tried to land it in the mid 1980s with the Australian-bred Strawberry Road, but the multiple Group One winner came in fifth. To this day, the owner burns with rage at the ride of jockey Greville Starkey and swears his next Arc assault will be achieved with an Australian jockey he knows and trusts.
Beadman's other potential international foray this year could be to England as jockey of the John Moore-trained Inspiration. Moore is leaning towards running the chestnut in the Golden Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot (June 20) and the July Cup at Newmarket.
Both are Group One races over six furlongs (about 1,200m).
