Driver Jye Coney has key drives at Menangle's feature meeting this Saturday night. Photo by Club Menangle
Eighteen-year-old reinsman Jye Coney has been handed the biggest opportunity of his young career, with leading trainer Jason Grimson entrusting him with Rakero Rocket and Chase A Dream in Saturday night’s Miracle Mile qualifiers at Menangle.
Rakero Rocket is currently quoted at $7.00 on TAB fixed odds for the March 14 Miracle Mile but will need to finish in the top two in the Bioworma Sprint to make his way into the iconic feature.
Last Friday night, the six-year-old had an automatic entry into the Miracle Mile snatched away from him in the Newcastle Mile when Victorian veteran Bulletproof Boy stormed home to claim the spot, scoring by one and a half metres in 1:50.5.
Back to Menangle and drawn favourably in gate five, Grimson is likely to instruct Coney to adopt similar tactics to when Rakero Rocket ran the second-fastest time for the mile ever recorded in the Southern Hemisphere three starts ago clocking 1:47.3 in a free for all.
Given that Saturday’s Sprint is a Miracle Mile qualifier, it is unlikely that his opposition will allow Coney and his pacer to get everything their own way.
The field includes two champions of the modern era being Grimson’s stable star and AG Hunter Cup winner Swayzee who has drawn wide in gate 10 and Luke McCarthy’s million-dollar pacer Kingman who will start from six.
When asked, Coney was unsure of Grimson’s gameplan but was extremely grateful for the opportunities Grimson and the connections are affording him.
“It is just crazy to think I will be driving in a race like this, and I cannot thank Jason and the owners enough for handing me the reins,” said Coney.
“I have not sat down with Jason yet to discuss race plans, but Rakero Rocket has shown that he is a fast front running horse at both Menangle and Newcastle.
“Obviously it is a really strong race and Swayzee and Kingman are going to be awfully hard to beat.
“Hopefully he can do enough to qualify for the big one after going so close at Newcastle.”
Coney’s other drive, former Kiwi Chase A Dream, heads to Sydney following his first up win in Australia at Melton for the Grimson stable.
He will contest the International Animal Health Sprint, chasing a Miracle Mile spot against last year’s winner Don Hugo and superstar pacer Leap To Fame.
