3 minute read

For comeback jockey Kody Nestor a near full book of contenders at Tuesday’s Quirindi TAB meeting and a renewed association with regional heavyweight Kris Lees, Paul Perry and Gerry Harvey trainer Stephen Jones, suggests a productive day, but is accompanied with extreme caution.

"Right now, it's a heavy ten, always an unknown, even with wet form in the right races," offered Kody who is now based at Newcastle from the north coast.

"The meetings we've lost up here recently, everybody in the industry just hopes they race because of the tight schedule and trainers needing to run horses."

While Nestor rides two runners for Lees, the dominant $2 million Big Dance qualifier with three winners from the Country Cups, he considers runners for Damien Lane and Perry might be his best.

And a touch of humour is attached as Nestor refers to Lees as "Fred."

Over to Kris: "My dad Max called me Fred from when I was a little kid, I'm not sure why but it's stuck with the racing people who've known me way back, I don't mind if you run with it," he chuckled.

Nestor rides Kris Lee's maidens Cristalino ($3.10 favourite on TAB) and Corvalist ($7) in respective races, the first and the third.

"The two of 'Fred's I don't know much about, but he'll have them ready if there's nothing exceptional against them. Cristalino has run six placings, race fit so it's got to be sooner than later."

If there is room for confidence on extreme heavy, Nestor leans toward the Lane-trained mare Princess Amira ($7) in the Elder's Killara Feedlot Class 3 (1200m).

"Smart young trainer Damien, has put together a really nice team, I see he's got two in it (Impact Star-$4.80).

"The mare I'm on, her best form is fresh, won an open trial really well and she's coming back to country level off solid provincial form.

"She does have soft track form but like I said, a heavy ten's another story."

Princess Amira has solid form at Wyong, Scone and Goulburn: "Same with Tupou (race 5-$13), should improve way back in grade from Canterbury and Wyong where he led, four-race winner in the right grade I'd say, but heavy ten?"

At present Quirindi is a Heavy 10 but in fine weather with zero rain predicted.