Trainer Lucinda Boyd has attributed the recent defeat of Haaland at Morphettville to jockey error and is hopeful for a reversal of fortunes in the Prestige Equine Veterinary Handicap (2500m) at Murray Bridge on Saturday.
While Boyd generally refrains from criticising jockeys, she acknowledged a mistake on her part during her ride on Haaland when the horse finished runner-up at Morphettville on September 12.
Boyd had previously partnered with Haaland to achieve successive victories at Sandown and Geelong approximately 12 months prior, and this was her initial ride back on the stayer after it had raced with other riders for four starts.
“This horse really enjoys the firmer surfaces, and we thought he should have probably won last start,” Boyd said.
“It was a bit more of jockey error, than his fault.”
“When a $101 pop whipped around the field, I didn’t want to get sucked into chasing it, but when it did whip around, I probably should have kept my momentum, but it’s easy to sit back and say that now.”
“He’s a tricky horse, as he can get in front and switch off and I was bearing that in mind because I didn’t want that to happen if he was to get past that horse and be in front for too long.”
“I think I probably should have backed him in a little bit more than what I did.”
Haaland has been without a win since his success on Geelong Cup Day last year, however Boyd maintains the stayer has been performing well.
Significant weights had previously led Boyd to forego riding, with claiming apprentices engaged.
“I’ve been keen to get back on him,” Boyd stated.
“He had big weights at Swan Hill and at Sandown, and to be fair Holly (Durnan) did a really good job on him (three runs back) and that’s why we kept her on and claimed the second time, but I was pretty keen to get back on him.”
“He’s going well this preparation. He can really sustain a good gallop and now that he’s fit, we can use that to his advantage and over a suitable trip as well.”
Boyd conceded that she doesn’t receive as many riding engagements as she would like, attributing this to her own team of horses and a young family.
“It’s a bit tricky because people don’t enquire for me to ride because I’m not riding all the time,” Boyd explained.
“If I ride horses at jump-outs, I’ll put my hand up for the race ride, but we’ve got a young family and our own horses in work, and it’s hard juggling everything.”
The decision for Boyd, Haaland, and their team to travel to Murray Bridge on Thursday was a strategic one, mirroring the approach taken before the stayer’s narrow defeat at Morphettville.
“It allows him to settle in,” Boyd commented.
“We did that last time when we went to Morphettville.”
“We think that is a good recipe.”
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