In yet another twist to the ongoing saga that is Shane Scriven, the veteran jockey looks to have jagged one of the rides of the Brisbane Winter Carnival.
He’s been given the mount of Hay List in the Group 1 BTC Cup but as always with Scriven of late it’s not quite that simple.
Hay List is yet to be confirmed as a runner to take on Black Caviar in the $400,000 contest but if he does Scriven is on stand by.
It seems more and more likely he will run though with the South Australian Jockey Club struggling to find the sponsorship required to fly Hay List to and from Adelaide for the Group 1 Goodwood.
For a Brisbane Carnival that already looks like being one of the biggest on record, another dual between Hay List and Black Caviar would add even more coin to the coffers of Queensland Racing.
Trainer of Hay List, John McNair, earlier in the week said he would not be floating his horse to Adelaide and connections were not prepared to pay the near $60,000 in flight costs.
The SAJC began negotiations over a possible sponsorship deal but time has all but run out to get the bulking gelding to the $350,000 Goodwood.
“I have placed a time limit of the weekend to find out if there is a flight to Adelaide, but Brisbane is now looking more likely for his next run,” McNair said.
“The horse is thriving and I want to know the timetable so I can gallop him to get ready for his next start. I’m looking at the BTC Cup and Doomben 10,000 as his two runs in Brisbane.”
Black Caviar opened as an expected odds on favourite for the BTC Cup but with Hay List now well in the mix he’s also had a bit of early support.
For Scriven it’s a whirlwind change of events after starting off the week as a rider serving a five month suspension for improper riding after the now infamous whip stealing incident.
He put in an appeal and applied for a stay of precedings which was granted meanining he can ride up to his appeal date.
In yet more good fortune it was then revealed his appeal date hasn’t been set until May 23rd, two days after the Doomben Cup.
Not only does this give him a probable Hay List mount it also means he can jump back aboard Scenic Shot which he has partnered to glory in Brisbane previously.
Regular rider of Hay List Glyn Schofield fractured his collarbone when Hawk Island fell in the Sydney Cup last weekend.
That meant he missed out on an all but assured win on Hay List in the All Aged Stakes later on the same card.
Glen Boss was the late substitute on that occasion and he did it easily, miles ahead of the field.
Schofield has vowed that he will not miss the entire Brisbane Winter Carnival and he is aiming for a Group 1 return in the Doomben 10,000 on May 28.
He’s even optimistic he may have time for a warm up metting back in Sydney the week before.
“I feel sorry for Glyn but I can’t wait to get a chance to ride Hay List,” Scriven said.
“The BTC Cup might look like another Black Caviar free kick but Hay List is a champion sprinter as well and you just never know what the day might produce.”