Champion New Zealand mare Sunline is favourite to repeat her win in the Cox Plate at Moonee Valley where MIKE DILLON talks to her cool, calm rider.
MELBOURNE - The one person you don't want to be today is Greg Childs.
Not if you don't want ulcers.
Yet the quietly spoken Melbourne-based former Kiwi jockey from Taranaki says he is feeling no pressure over having to find a minefield path through the $A2 million Cox Plate field to win on champion mare Sunline.
If that is true he is a freak.
To be fair to Childs, he has never given the impression of being anything but quiet and conservative. Histrionics are not for him.
"No, I take each major race in my stride, I do nothing different," he said yesterday when asked how he was preparing for the most important ride of his highly successful career.
"Friday night I have a sauna and study the form while I'm sweating.
"I study each horse and where it's drawn and make sure I familiarise myself with each set of colours.
"Saturday morning I ride trackwork then go to the races."
He says this is a result of what he has learned as much as a natural part of his personality.
'I learned from an early age to treat every race as important. It makes me money and pushes me up the jockeys' ladder.
"I try to work out how every race will be run and outside that I can only be fit and be ready for the unexpected."
And being ready for three top horses and jockeys intent on giving Sunline the toughest time of her life at Moonee Valley this afternoon.
"Everyone seems to be concentrating on making sure Sunline and I don't get it too easy in front.
"If they attack me and try to disrupt me I've got to be ready for that.
But I won't be making any hard decisions until I see where everyone is at the winning post with a round to go. I'll be watching them closely.
"The one thing I am desperate to avoid is setting up the same sort of race as the Caulfield Cup last week.
"Half a dozen jockeys went forward to make sure Fairway did not get it easy in front and they killed it for Fairway and themselves by running the first 1000m in 59 seconds - high class sprinters can't do that.
"I can't afford to be five wide either and I definitely don't want to drop back beyond mid-field, so it is going to be interesting."
Maybe just a little of the tension creeps through:
"If I get this wrong everyone's going to let rip at me, I know that.
"I know I'm going to read about it if I mess up, but as long as everyone knows I'm going out there to do my best to get it right."
Under today's tension scenario a bombproof temperament like Childs is important.
Strangely, he says riding Blackfriars to win last year's VRC Derby at Flemington was more stressful.
"Simply because he was a back runner and you had to negotiate a passage through the field for him.
"That, and the fact he was owned by Robert Sangster, made it more pressure.
"Sunline races forward and that makes it easier."
Childs sees an element of self preservation in his laid-back attitude.
"I have never been hyped up and I'm glad I'm like that. I want to be around for a long time and I believe being on an even keel helps you achieve that.
"I always take things as they come."
Even the possibility of a massively emotional reception from a capacity Moonee Valley crowd will be kept in perspective.
"The Australian and New Zealand public have taken her to their hearts because she is a forward runner who goes down fighting.
"I will be delighted for Trevor and Stephen McKee and for strapper Claire Bird because all three have done a magnificent job.
"For me it will be mission accomplished.
"I've been given a tough task, but it's a job. My job is to win races, it's what I've been doing all my life.
"And I guess I'll be feeling something for the horse, because I haven't ridden another champion like Sunline."
Surely that alone will be enough to make you smile Greg.
Trainer Trevor McKee was to repeat his vigil of last year by sleeping outside the stable door of Sunline last night.
While he was not necessarily expecting any skulduggery, it was better to be safe than sorry.
Racing: Jockey will keep cool head: and an eye on rivals
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.