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Reece Jones had his maiden stakes win on Mr Mosaic snatched from him in the shadows of the post a month ago so he’s naturally keen to go one better on the sharp sprinter in Saturday’s Listed $150,000 Bob Charley AO Stakes (1100m) at Randwick.
You could have forgiven the talented apprentice for thinking he had it in the bag as he hit the front 150m out in the Ortensia Stakes at the Scone carnival. And that thought did cross his mind.
"He did everything but win in the Ortensia, I thought that might have been my first (stakes win), but unfortunately Vulpine got me on the line,'' Reece Jones said.
"He'll make his own luck up on the pace and an improving track will be in his favour. Hopefully he holds on and gets the job done."
Jones has partnered Mr Mosaic, $5 with TAB on Friday, in the gelding's past seven starts, including three wins, so knows him well.
His strengths have come when his runs are spaced by trainers Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou.
"The team does a tremendous job keeping him fresh and I have no doubt he will run a big race again,'' Jones said.
"His soft form has always been pretty strong."
The 26-year-old made the move from Rod Northam's Scone stables to be indentured to John O'Shea at Randwick about six weeks ago and has his sights set on passing the century of winners for the second year on end.
He finished last season on 102.5 wins and heads to Randwick sitting on 85.
"I'd like to get to 100 winners again, that's my goal for the rest of the season. It's definitely achievable. If I can go back to back it'd be pleasing,'' he said.
"John's been really good to me. It's a little bit different but it's a good experience. I don't know if there was a right time to move but we just went for it."
O'Shea provides Jones with three of his 10 rides at Randwick including first-up winner Comme Bella Fille in the Drinkwise Mile (1600m).
It was a clever ride by the apprentice to guide the four-year-old to her Kensington win over 1550m, cutting the corner, and he believes she'll be sharp enough on improving ground to be competitive over a similar trip to her fresh win.
"It'll be three or four weeks between runs now. She'll be fresh enough for it,'' he said.
"She's drawn low so she will get her chance, with a bit of luck in the straight she will be hitting the line well."
Three-yar-old filly Bootscooter sees Jones combine with the old boss Rod Northam in the TAB Highway (1500m) and he says she's earned the right to be tried in that company after two impressive wins.
Jones partnered her to her maiden win at the Scone carnival before she rounded up four rivals to score over 1500m at Newcastle on May 28.
"She's only tiny but she tries hard,'' he said.
"She's an improving filly, to go from a maiden on showcase day to a Class 1 at the provincials is never easy but she did it. Going up to Highway should be a good test for her."