FOR a while I thought I wasn't going to have a ride in today's $3 million Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley but I must say I'm more than happy to be riding Foreteller for Chris Waller.
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This is my first ride in the race, and all along I had pinned my hopes on being on the Hong Kong horse Dan Excel.
But he went amiss and then I was going to ride Crackerjack King for David Hayes - and he broke down as well.
I was riding Not Listenin'tome at Breakfast With The Best at Moonee Valley on Tuesday, and on my way out on to the track I heard that Chris didn't have a rider for Foreteller.
When I'd finished the gallop I yelled out to Richie Callander that I would ride him if they didn't have anyone, and a few minutes later I had the mount.
That's how quickly things can happen at this time of year, and it's another reason why the spring carnival is so exciting.
The Cox Plate is a great spectacle and I remember watching last year's race and getting goosebumps, so to have my first ride in the race is going to be pretty special.
With The Cleaner in the race there is going to be a genuine tempo, and I can see him being tracked up by the three-year-olds like Almalad and Sweynesse.
That should give my horse a gun run from barrier one and it will be survival of the fittest at the back end of the 2040m.
Foreteller finished fourth in the race last year, and Happy Trails was a narrow second so both have to be great chances again, and Fawkner is probably the horse to beat.
It's a very even race but I'm very happy to be on Foreteller. Despite winning the Underwood Stakes two runs back he's been forgotten about a bit, which is nice, but I expect him to run really well at odds.
At the moment San Padre is my Victoria Derby horse but we'll find out whether he will keep going down that path when he runs in the Dilmah Exceptional Teas Vase (2040m).
He's only had two starts so far. He won on debut and then when I rode him last time he should have finished a lot closer to Magicool.
We found a lot of trouble but hopefully that doesn't happen today and we can get a guide on him heading towards the Derby.
If he runs well today then he will be a live chance because it doesn't look to be a vintage Derby coming up next week.
Of my other rides today I think Le Roi will be really hard to beat in the Moonee Valley Cup (2500m).
He was probably a good thing beaten last time in the Cranbourne Cup and when I rode him in work on Tuesday he sprinted around the Valley very nicely.
Both of his runs this time have been very good and getting out to 2500m will be no problem for him.