Riordan in right form for Caulfield switch
Apprentice Liam Riordan is on the move after announcing a switch to Caulfield trainer Ciaron Maher.
Riordan is transferring from the Flemington base of Leon and Troy Corstens after winning on Exceltara in The Sheen Service Panel Handicap at Caulfield on Saturday.
“I signed the paperwork today,” Riordan said.
“I’ve been with Leon and Troy for three-and-a-half years so it’s time for a change.
Going into winter Troy and I had a discussion so I’m heading over on a three-month loan to Ciaron.
“We just thought it would be a good opportunity going into winter.”
Riordan has outridden his claim on the provincial circuit and Saturday’s win aboard the Mathew Ellerton and Simon Zahra-trained Exaltara was his seventh in the metropolitan area.
Backed from $21 into $17, Exceltara overpowered Bel Sonic ($10) in the final stages to score by a long neck with the $3.70 favourite Sun Quan three-quarters-of-a-length away third.
Riordan said he gained a lot from having ridden Exceltara when sixth behind William Thomas at Caulfield on April 28.
He thanked the Ellerton and Zahra training partners for giving him another opportunity aboard the gelding.
Ellerton said Exceltara had backed up his latest Caulfield performance.
“He got a better run home today on the back of the right horse and was too strong late,” Ellerton said.
“That should give him a bit of confidence. He’s been up a long time but has been racing well.”
Ellerton said there are no grand plans for the three-year-old who recorded his second win from 10 starts.
“He might improve with a set of blinkers on too at some stage,” Ellerton said.
“Hopefully we can find another race and make use of the Super VOBIS money while he’s still a three-year-old.”
Apprentice Lachlan King recorded his fourth city winner when successful aboard Riyadh in the Tile Importer Handicap.
It was King’s first Caulfield winner and came on top of his first Flemington victory aboard Sherlock Holmes last week.
King also landed a city win at the midweek Sandown meeting on Wednesday.