Track work rider Tiffany Henderson with Rolling Pin, a Gwenda Markwell-trained horse, who will race in Newcastle today. Picture: ROBERT PEET
Suspension-hit hoop Christian Reith is on the verge of serving another careless riding ban, but owner Matthew Sandblom has no qualms about him reuniting with old favourite Rolling Pin at Newcastle today.
Reith was outed for nine meetings for his ride aboard Golden Rose fancy Nechita, which wilted to finish sixth as the $2.10 favourite in Sydney's only million-dollar race of the spring on Saturday.
Despite the disappointment of not pinching his elusive first Group 1, Reith has won a vote of confidence from Sandblom ahead of the Group 3 Cameron Handicap (1500m).
"He's been up and down a bit with luck, but he's a good rider and he's riding well," Sandblom said. "He's ridden him [Rolling Pin] for a win and he likes the horse so he's happy to be on him."
Reith will have to trawl through the tapes to find that race, way back in April last year when a raw Rolling Pin charged to a second victory at just his third career start.
In-between trainer Gwenda Markwell has carefully mapped out a gradual progression through the grades for Rolling Pin, who was foaled on the same day as part-owner Sandblom's birthday.
But now the five-year-old has been left to tackle stakes races, culminating in steady efforts in the Warwick Stakes and Tramway Handicap.
"There's not much else around for him and he pretty much has to go in those sorts of races," Sandblom said.
"If he doesn't compete well enough [today] maybe we'll ease him up and wait for some easier races after the spring carnival in Sydney.
"Each time after his last two starts he's just been a bit jarred up after the run and so he's probably not finished off the last 100 metres. He could do with a bit of rain."