Barrier rogue Whinchat can bounce back to his best in 2025 Civic Stakes at Royal Randwick
Jockey Jay Ford has seen the best and worst of Whinchat and knows the right version of David Pfieffer's bold frontrunner will have him right in Saturday's Listed $200,000 Civic Stakes (1400m) at Royal Randwick.
Whinchat gave a reminder of his bad boy behaviour when Ford last jumped aboard the talented sprinter, with the son of Russian Revolution playing up in the gates and missing the start by six lengths.
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It's not the first time Whinchat has played up at the races but the talented barrier rogue had been on his best behaviour in recent times with significant dividends.
He impressively won three times in the city last preparation, all with Ford aboard, and first-up finished a narrow runner-up to The Instructor in the Listed Luskin Star Stakes before his unfortunate mood swing.
'He has come a long way but you never know what you are going to get with him,' Ford said.
'From where he was two years ago, he has come a long way but there is always a chance if he has a bee in his bonnet, what happened last start can happen.
'He is not bombproof by any means but had a good little run there for a while where he was well behaved and manageable.
'That was the old Whinchat there the other day so we will see what mood he turns up on Saturday.'
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Stewards sent Whinchat back to the trials after his barrier mishap where the gelding won his heat over 1050m.
He gets another opportunity to snare a Stakes victory in a competitive addition of the Civic Stakes which has drawn a capacity field of 16.
Whinchat will jump from the outside gate in the feature but Ford doesn't see it as a negative.
'He is pretty one-dimensional so draw is not a real worry for him,' he said.
'It's probably a positive with less time in the barrier for him.
'It's a good race for him, I suppose it just comes down to how quick we have to go early because there is a bit of speed in numbers there.
'They are out there with us so hopefully he can behave and jump clean.
'He takes 100m to get going so outside gates also help because a couple of the others might be quicker in the first 50m or so and he just takes 100m to get rolling and then he can come across and build, flow and get in rhythm.'
Dominant!
Whinchat was just far too good out in front today. @DavidPfieffer pic.twitter.com/YsqJWqM9g7
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) January 31, 2024
Whinchat isn't the only on pace runner drawn out with Willaidow one to his inside and Iknowastar also jumping from a double digit gate.
'Both Willaidow and Iknowastar have similar styles to Whinchat but the only problem with Whinchat is he is not really adaptable,' Ford said.
'If he can't find himself in front, he starts to over race and pull hard.
'It upsets the apple cart for him.
'He is a free flowing horse that likes to run but it will be a matter of how much work we have to do to get him in a favourable for him.'
WHAT A FINISH! 😮
The Instructor wins on the line to beat Whinchat in the Luskin Star Stakes! 🙌 @GaiWaterhouse1 pic.twitter.com/zv6EIFg0dn
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 17, 2025
Joe Pride 's Headley Grange a firm $3.20 favourite.
Headley Grange's main rival in early betting was Warnie however trainer Ciaron Maher has instead elected to send his galloper to Queensland to tackle the Listed Eye Liner Stakes at Ipswich.
Ford is chasing his second Civic Stakes after first winning the race aboard the Chris Waller -trained Liapari in 2018.
The Group 1 -winning hoop has five rides across the Civic Stakes card, with long odds chances Rogue Bear ($71) and Time Quest ($81) in race 6 and race 10 respectively.
He kicks off his day with veteran campaigner Dr Evil ($34) in the Midway Handicap (1600m) while Everlasting Stars ($19) makes up part of a heavy-handed Danny Williams assault in the TAB Highway Class 3 Handicap (1200m).
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