3 minute read

It must be winter judging by the number of jockeys given early permission to ride overweight at Rosehill on Saturday.

Brenton Avdulla, Tye Angland and Christian Reith – three of Sydney’s top riders – have all applied to ride a number of horses overweight on Saturday’s Rosehill program.

Stewards appear to be taking a sympathetic view of their situation by giving them permission to ride seven horses at least a half or a full kilogram over their allotted weights, no doubt a concession to the difficulties jockeys face in stripping weight during the colder winter months.

Avdulla accepted rides on three horses allotted the limit weight of 53kg but has been given permission to ride each half a kilogram overweight.

The heavier Angland, a jockey who has always battled weight issues, will be a full kilogram overweight on two horses weighted on 54kg.

Reith, another rider who can rarely get close to the limit weights, has will be 1kg over on one of his mounts and a half over on the other.

The early notification of these riders being overweight will be welcomed by punters and form analysts, even if many play down the importance of handicaps compared to past eras when weight was considered the be all and end all of form analysis.

Now you find opinions divided on just how much weight carried impacts on the performance of a thoroughbred, many modern day racing 'experts' being more inclined to be clock watchers as they place greater relevance on race pace, position in running and finishing speed in determining their final assessments.

Our current race officials obviously agree as there was a time when stewards would take a much harder line on jockeys being allowed to ride overweight, especially three days out from a race meeting.

Avdulla also figures in a double booking in the last race at Rosehill on Saturday.

Avdulla has been declared as the rider of both Redouble, trained by Bjorn Baker, and third emergency Malahat (James Cummings).

Stewards have ruled that if Malahat gains a start, Baker will be required to find a suitable replacement rider for Redouble.

The overweight notifications for Saturday’s Rosehill meeting:-

Race 2: (10) Wallander - Brenton Avdulla to ride the gelding 0.5kg over its declared weight of 53kg.

Race 6: (4) Harper’s Choice – Brenton Avdulla to ride the gelding 0.5kg over its declared weight of 53kg.

Race 7: (7) Invinzabeel – Tye Angland to ride the gelding 1kg over its declared weight of 55kg.

Race 7: (15) Manolo Blahniq – Christian Reith to ride the gelding 1kg over its declared weight of 53kg.

Race 9: (11) Best Guess – Tye Angland to ride the gelding 1kg over its declared weight of 55kg.

Race 9: (16) Clear The Beach – Christian Reith to ride the gelding 0.5kg over its declared weight of 53.5kg.

Race 9: (17) Malahat – Brenton Avdulla to ride the gelding 0.5kg over its declared weight of 53kg.