Oliver back on Lord Of The Sky in Memsie
Champion jockey Damien Oliver reunites with Lord Of The Sky in the first Group One race of the new season at Caulfield.
The pair will be trying to add Saturday’s Memsie Stakes (1400m) to their victory in the Bletchingly Stakes at Caulfield last month.
In between Oliver rode Miss Rose De Lago to win the P B Lawrence Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on August 13 with Mark Zahra partnering Lord Of The Sky into fifth place.
“I was locked into Miss Rose De Lago before they had asked me to ride him in the Lawrence Stakes,” Oliver said.
“As Miss Rose De Lago is heading towards the Dato Tan Chin Nam I became free again for the Memsie.
“I thought his run in the Lawrence was full of merit as he and The Cleaner went toe-to-toe all the way and he was still there inside the 200 metre mark.
“You would think the run over the 1400 metres would serve him well for the next time that he’s at it.”
Oliver has ridden Lord Of The Sky four times for two Group One seconds and the Bletchingly Stakes success.
In the past two months, Oliver has picked up feature Caulfield sprint wins with Wild Rain in the Sir John Monash Stakes before victories in the Bletchingly Stakes and Lawrence Stakes.
He said a Group One win for Lord Of The Sky would be fitting.
“He’s been consistent at the highest level but he hasn’t won one yet being beaten in a Goodwood and a TJ Smith,” Oliver said.
“I think he’d be a worthy winner of a Group One.”
Oliver will partner Queensland Oaks winner Provocative when she makes her Melbourne debut in the Heatherlie Handicap (1700m) on Saturday.
He expects the mare to be running on at the end of Saturday’s race.
“I trialled her the other morning over a half-mile (800m) which was too short and I think she’ll want 2000 metres plus to show her best,” he said.