Darryl ‘Digger’ McLellan doesn’t venture to town too often, with the 14-time Group-winning jockey happy to ply his trade on the country and provincial circuit.
He’ll make the exception for what he believes is a good reason when trekking to Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.
He will team up with astute Scone-based trainer Lyle Chandler when jumping aboard Call Me Louis in the 1400m Class Three Highway Handicap.
A two-time winner, the Spieth gelding out of Call Me Cute won at Newcastle two starts back, with McLellan guiding the four-year-old to a good win in the Benchmark 68 Handicap (1400m).
The Scone galloper then stepped up to a 1500m Class Three Highway at Rosehill Gardens on October 7, where Jean Van Overmeire was in the saddle, and the pair were forced to race wide after starting from gate 14, but Call Me Louis hung on gamely, finishing fifth and beaten just over three lengths.
“He ran good down there the other day from a bad draw,” McLellan said.
“On Saturday, he’s drawn a nice gate and should get a nice run and every chance.”
There doesn’t appear to be as much speed as usual in Saturday’s Highway, and McLellan said a versatile Call Me Louis ($13 with Thunderbet) could take up the running if allowed, or the pair might find cover.
“It was a good win, and there was no speed in that race, and he took up the running, got easy sectionals, and won nicely,” McLellan said.
“That’s not his pattern, but he proved he could do it if he needed, and he is very versatile, and I can put him anywhere I want, and we’ll see what happens on Saturday.”
When quizzed on riding in town and why we don’t see him at Randwick, Rosehill, Warwick Farm and Canterbury as often as we once did, he explained that he likes to ‘pick and choose’ the right times.
“I often get asked to ride in these Highways but never really go, and I like to pick the ones where I think I have a genuine chance,” McLellan said.
“Last time I went down there, I rode Sir Ravanelli in the Country Champs final, and I thought he was a real chance, but it was a heavy 25, and he pulled a shoe and bashed his leg.”
Still, he does like coming back and riding on some of Australia’s best racetracks.
“The horses are better, the tracks are better, and the riders are better,” McLellan said.
“There are a lot of L-plater and P-later riders we need to deal with in the country, so it’s a pleasure to ride in town when I get there,” McLellan said.
The veteran hoop will have his tail up heading to town following his win on Sir Ravanelli in the Jacaranda Cup at Grafton on Wednesday.
Riding for Terry Evans, McLellan won easily on the six-year-old, and he was pleased to notch another feature-race win on the champion Tuncurry-based galloper.
“It was nice to win on him; I’ve ridden him five times for four wins,” McLellan said.
“He’s a good horse, and I think they’ll have to go to town with him next; he deserves a crack, and if he draws a nice gate, he’ll be hard to beat in the right race.
“He’s versatile and can win from 1100m to 1400m, and he does do a few things wrong, but in saying that, one thing he always does is give his best and lets down, and I’ve suggested they go to town and give him a crack.”
It could be a big few days for McLellan, who heads to Armidale on Sunday for the Guyra Cup meeting.
In the $35,000 Guyra Cup (1400m), he rides the Cassandra Strummer-trained Rebel’s Edge, while he likes his chances on the Stephen Jones-trained Gold Counter in the Benchmark 58 Handicap (1100m).
“I like the look of Gold Counter, and If he drew good, he’d be a winner for sure, but he has drawn wide, but I still think he can run a good race,” McLellan said.
“They wanted to scratch him, but I had a quick look, and I’m confident I can get into a good position from the draw.”
