Coonamble, Hawkesbury previews: Former rivals join forces for Championship goal

Former rival jockeys Kody Nestor and Tony Cavallo have become one of the most dynamic duos on the country racing circuit and are now ‘just one good run’ away from a visit to Royal Randwick and a shot at $500,000.

The pair combine in Tuesday’s rescheduled Country Championships Qualifying Heat at Coonamble where Cavallo rides red-hot favourite Jailbreak, one of three Nestor runners in the $150,000 feature.

Jailbreak, a last start Canterbury winner, is the only one of Nestor’s threesome that has won on rain affected ground, three times in fact, which accounts for the deluge of support for the gelding since Sunday’s washout at Coonamble.

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Jockey Tony Cavallo will partner Jailbreak for trainer Kody Nestor.Source:Supplied

“It does seem that (trainer) Kody Nestor has a mortgage on this Country Championships qualifier with Jailbreak, Activation and Eva’s Deel,” TAB’s Andrew Georgiou said.

“When we opened betting on the Coonamble heat, punters were very keen to get on Jailbreak and he’s now into $1.90 favouritism.

“But after the initial push for Jailbreak, we have also had good money for Activation who has firmed into $5.50, while Eva’s Deel is at $10.

“Aside from those three Kody Nestor-trained runners, there has been solid support for Wild Rocket, trained by Kylie Kennedy, who is on the second line of betting at $4.80.”

Jailbreak is not only the punter’s top-pick, the son of Yes Yes Yes’ sire, Rubick, was Cavallo’s first choice above his handy stablemates Activation and Eva’s Deel.

“We identified the race a while ago, about six or eight weeks ago, and he had the pick of them and he chose Jailbreak straight off the bat,” Nestor said.

“Tony comes over and rides trackwork on Tuesday mornings. He gives really, really good feedback and we just seem to get along together.”

Eva’s Deel is one of three runners for Kody Nestor in the WRA Country Championship Qualifier at Coonamble. Photo: Grant GuySource:The Daily Telegraph

Nestor and Cavallo have become one of racing’s most profitable trainer/jockey combinations in quick time.

To put the relationship into some perspective, Nestor boasts an admirable 17 per cent winner-to-runners but when Cavallo is riding one of his, that figure increases to almost 24 per cent.

With placings added, a Kody Nestor-trainer horse ridden by Tony Cavallo, runs first, second or third an incredible 74.1 per cent of the time.

Crucially for Tuesday at least, third won’t do, as only first and second across the line progress to the $500,000 Country Championship Final (1400m) at Royal Randwick.

Jailbreak not only has the advantage of having won multiple times on a Soft track, he is also a winner at Coonamble at his only prior visit to the venue.

The one question that remains to be answered, is whether he can stretch his speed to 1400m.

“I still believe he has to be rock-hard fit to run it which he is now and he did run second in a Highway when just beaten over 1400m previously, so his credentials are there to say he will run it,” Nestor said.

“He has got a great racing pattern and he is rock-hard fit so he will take a fair bit of running down.

CONNERS PAIR ON TRACK TO CLAIM MAIDEN WINS

Marc Conners has plans for two of his Hawkesbury-bound string to break their maidens on Tuesday, one of which will wear the Gerry Harvey colours while the other is a member of Victory Lodge royalty.

Harvey’s mare is Palazzi Signorelli, a daughter of Paul Perry’s 2005 Golden Slipper winner Stratum, and a half to Baramul-bred stakes-winner, Palazzo Pubblico.

Palazzi Signorelli has thrived in the short time that she has been at Conners’ Warwick Farm headquarters and is perfectly placed to break a string of three straight seconds in Tuesday’s HRC Motel Maiden Plate (1500m).

“She has had three runs for us and each time she have kept improving but has just found a better one on each day unfortunately,” Conners said.

“It’s just a shame she hasn’t won one already. The way she has been racing I think the 1500m should suit her so it looks a nice race on paper for her.”

Palazzi Signoreli has been ridden at her last two by Jess Taylor who not surprisingly has the job on Harvey’s well-bred mare again on Tuesday.

Trainer Marc Conners has two good chances at Hawkesbury in Palazzi Signorili and Rebel Rama. Photo: Simon Bullard/AAP ImageSource:AAP

Conners is hopeful that the Hawkesbury track will have improved sufficiently well to allow Rebel Rama her rightful chance of shedding her maiden status in the XXX Gold Plate over 1800m.

The three-year-daughter of Dissident is way down in class after finishing third at Warwick Farm 13-days making up many lengths in the mile maiden.

“She is a really nice filly and she is definitely going the right way,” Conners said.

“I have always wanted to see her on a good track and that was her first time on top of the ground and the run has plenty of merit.”

Not that Conners needs any tips on how to train, but his four-times Golden Slipper winning trainer/father Clarry knows Rebel Ram’s family tree like he planted it himself.

Rebel Rama’s grand-dam, Mossarama is a daughter of Mossman and a is a three-quarter to Staging namely the two best horses whom Clarry Conners trained for Peter and Wendy Moran.

“She’s not much like Staging but she is very similar to a Mossman, she is pretty powerful and a strong mare so very much in his mould,” Conners explained.

Originally published asCoonamble, Hawkesbury previews: Dynamic Duo to ‘Break’ free

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