Adkins out to seal Stradbroke deal at Gosford after leg up from mate

Andrew Adkins hopes to lock down a Stradbroke Handicap ride when he teams with New Zealand trainer and good mate Rob Wellwood for the first time aboard promising Kiwi galloper Sweynesday on Saturday at Gosford.

Adkins has a strong book of rides on the standalone program, headlined by Sweynesday ($9) in the listed Takeover Target Stakes (1200m) and Tom Charlton-trained Sarrismo ($4.40 favourite) in the $500,000 The Coast (1600m).

Wellwood and Roger James-trained Sweynesday makes his Australian debut after six wins and four placings in 10 New Zealand starts. The five-year-old was 1.6 lengths third to sprint sensation Jigsaw in the group 1 Railway Stakes at Ellerslie in January before returning there in March to win at group 3 level.

The stable hopes to get Sweynesday into the $3 million Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) on June 13 at Eagle Farm and Adkins was excited about the chance to partner him on Saturday and possibly beyond. The only negative for Sweynesday at Gosford was a draw in gate 11 of 12.

“I’m good mates with Rob Wellwood, and he flicked me a message a couple of weeks ago about the opportunity,” Adkins said.

“Obviously, he has really good form around him and it looks like the perfect race for him.

“He’s obviously been racing against good horses, Jigsaw for one. He’s got a bit of sticky gate, but he’s an incredibly good chance.”

Wellwood, who travelled over with Sweynesday this week, said he and James were looking to the BRC Sprint or Kingsford-Smith Cup as the next step after Saturday towards the Stradbroke.

“I would have liked to see him draw a bit better, but he’s travelled well and I think he measures up well in the race,” Wellwood said.

“He ran well against Jigsaw in a weight-for-age race, too, so back to handicap racing, I think it puts him in it even further.”

Wellwood said the stable considered bringing over Sweynesday’s regular rider but opted to back Adkins and his local knowledge of the “tricky” Gosford track.

“He’s a good guy and he’s always ridden very well,” he said.

“He probably hasn’t had a lot of luck with injuries, but he was a high-class apprentice and through one thing or another, things haven’t probably gone in his favour.

“But you speak to any of the big trainers here in Sydney and they have a huge amount of respect for his riding.

“The big thing, too, looking forward to a Stradbroke, it gives him an opportunity to have a feel. We haven’t locked anything in for the Stradbroke, but he’s only going to get 51.5-52 kilos, and Andrew is able to ride those light weights.”

A victory would continue a memorable week for owner Eddie Koh, who sold group 2-winning filly Chayan to Coolmore’s Tom Magnier on Thursday night for an Inglis Chairman’s Sale record of $5.6 million. Coolmore secured the two-year-old ahead of Yulong, which spent $8.45 million across eight lots.

Adkins, meanwhile, said Sarrismo was ready for his greatest challenge yet, after taking the gelding to victory in the Orange Cup last start. The four-year-old, on a three-race winning streak, has gate one on Saturday in the Coast.

“He’s obviously come out of the Orange Cup really well because I worked him Tuesday morning and he was terrific,” Adkins said.

“He gets a good set-up from the gate, he’s racing in career-best form and he continues to improve with confidence. He’s going to be a very good chance in that, especially from the low draw.

“As long as he can get free-galloping room and consistent speed throughout, he will just keep coming.”

Adkins also rides Peter Snowden-trained Touristic ($21) in the Gosford Cup and Joe Ible’s Spice Baby ($5) in the Midway Handicap.