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Shane Dye has picked up the top ride on the John Size trained Electronic Unicorn in the Group 1 2000m at Sha Tin on Sunday February 24.
Regular rider Robbie Fradd is currently suspended by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Board of Stewards until March 8 where further investigations have taken place.
Electronic Unicorn has been in great form this season under Size’s training recording three wins and a second from four starts.
Dye has had good success with Size trained horses so far this season in Hong Kong.
“The owner had a big input in the decision of the rider for Electronic Unicorn”. Size said.
Electronic Unicorn (Housebuster/Lilac Garden) prizemoney totals HK$17,563,901.
By: Andrew Frost - Sunday, 17 February 2002
Monday, February 18, 2002
RACING
Caretaker Dye tries on Electronic Unicorn for Size
ALAN AITKEN
Trainer John Size says Shane Dye will be the new rider for Hong Kong's superstar galloper Electronic Unicorn when he tackles the second leg of the Triple Crown, the Hong Kong Gold Cup over 2,000 metres, on Sunday.
"Shane has never been on Electronic Unicorn at all, but it didn't take a lot of talking to get him to ride the horse," Size said yesterday. "Of course, we would have liked Robbie Fradd to ride him again next week but, since that isn't possible, I'm sure Shane will do a good job. There's nothing in his favour, though, as the horse has to step up to run the 2,000 metres this time and he hasn't been able to do it before."
The gelding's regular partner, Fradd, is under suspension from riding until March 8, pending further information surrounding his arrest and questioning by the Independent Commission Against Corruption during Operation Green Grass on February 6.
Neither Fradd nor any of the other 19 people arrested and released by the ICAC during the operation have been charged with any offence, but the Jockey Club moved on February 8 to suspend both he and fellow jockey John Egan pending further information, thus throwing open the Gold Cup ride next weekend.
Ex-Sydney trainer Size and former Sydney-based rider Dye celebrated their new union with a romp through Sha Tin for trebles apiece yesterday and the rider is hoping his current momentum can carry on to the Unicorn's big test. "I'm only the caretaker rider, but I feel very honoured indeed to be asked to ride Electronic Unicorn. I feel I'm having a terrific season. I've been ticking the winners over and to ride three today is fantastic," he said.
"But this is something special. Electronic Unicorn is the favourite horse of Hong Kong, so it's a great responsibility, but I'm really looking forward to it. He looks a sensation and if he can bring his Stewards' Cup form up to the 2,000 metres, he should win, unless he strikes a wet track or something unforeseen like that."
Dye's treble at Sha Tin took him to 31 wins for the term to date, still 10 behind championship pacemaker Douglas Whyte, but snapping at the heels of Weichong Marwing (33) for third.
Dye was not specific about his other offers in the Gold Cup, but said there had been no agonising decision. "I would have ridden one of David Hayes' runners, but I jumped at the chance to ride this horse for John," said Dye, who made his name in Australia riding the big name gallopers in big race wins, but to date has racked up just one major in Hong Kong, last year's Classic Mile on Charming City. "Still I'm only keeping Electronic Unicorn warm for Robbie. It's really bad luck for him that he can't ride the horse in the Gold Cup after being on him all season. But I have no doubt that he'll be straight back on him once he is riding again."
Despite Size's queries on the distance, Electronic Unicorn will start a red-hot favourite in the Gold Cup following an almost perfect season since joining Size. He has met defeat only once, when second to Eishin Preston in the Hong Kong Mile on International Day, and has since crushed a top-grade field in the Group One Stewards' Cup at 1,600 metres in the first Triple Crown leg.
Even if he wins next Sunday's second leg, Size has already indicated the gelding would be extremely unlikely to tackle the final 2,400-metre leg of the series in the Champions and Chater Cup.
Monty Burns
22-02-2002, 15:28
I've just been to the bank to ensure I'm loaded up to let go at the champ on Sunday - will win.
Probably thinking I should spread my money around and have $20 a win at each window. Don't want to raise suspicion or create a rush. Looking for bowlers if anyone interested. Will need about 25 people.
Also, like this new horse Wishmaster in the ninth. He used to be called BERK THE JERK in England. Guess he's thrilled they changed his name. Could be a horse to watch.
Agree that he will win....but there is little value to be found in Electronic anymore. He should start very very short.
Apart from Electronic Unicorn, how many races will Size win today?
On paper, all 5 of his starters have good chances. I expect him to have at least a treble like last week.
This is why you are working for a living Masun...like the rest of us.
Good thing I didn't bet on any Size to win because the prices were not right -- in fact it's impossible to get value on any Size these days. So I prefer to use his horses for PQ bets and so did all right in the end.
Must say I am surprised that Electronic Unicorn failed to even place. I realise that it's not unusual for a miler to fail to step up to 2000m -- Fairy King Prawn finished 6th in the Gold Cup last year. However I thought Electronic Unicorn could do better because it finished a respectable 4th in the QE Cup last year, behind Silvano, Jim & Tonic and Indigenous. So it's not totally unproven at 2000m.
Anyway, the lesson may be that for major races, it's better to go with the proven stayers.
there was a lot of speculation prerace both in print and on the TV as to whether EU would get the 2000m. however he had finished within 1L and 3L + 2 * 6L at his 4 attempts over that distance and he was not then trained by size.
further the trip could be a bit beyond his best and he could still win. i don't think the $1.80 was out of line at all.
Sunline managed to win a couple of times over 2000 in the Cox plate...so its not beyond the milers to do well at the distance.
I was dissapointed in Electronics performance..he had very little left in the gas tank in the end although he did have some very minor bad luck..a bit of shuffling and so forth.
As Hobbes points out , his previous races over 2000m are not that bad. Besides he`s a horse that switches off & comes with a scintillating finish , these type of horses should manage when stepping up over a little bit more ground.
He was a beaten horse early , something else other than the distance must have been the reason.
I rated him $1.30 & thought the $1.80 was value.
zane do you know imaufo ??? i find the comment below intriguing >>
"He was a beaten horse early , something else other than the distance must have been the reason."
i hear EU had a shit in the parade ring ??
Sorry Hobbes , i dont understand.
Horses shit about every hour , i`d say its better to shit before the race than after.
Hi Zane, I think that the big dump that Hobbes was referring too was an especially sloppy, smelly, messy one which he let rip with at about the 600 of the parade ring...which may or may not indicate that the horse was either feeling his nerves on raceday (very unlike the Corn I think...he seems a very sensible type to me) or else he wasnt 100 per cent in the tunmmy.
I think it would be better to have a poo before the race wouldnt it? As the average poo would weigh in at about a half kilo, this could make all the difference between winning and losing?
You wouldn't want to back any horse that was actually scouring before a race...but you'd think the vets would be watching for anything too nasty.
In the old days when I was just a lad we used to love backing horses that were shitting on the runny side before a race because it often indicated the horse had been on a glucose drip the night before and this generally helped.
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