Racing: Trainer pulls Sphenophyta out of Kelt

SYDNEY - Victorian trainer Lee Freedman has engaged Danny Nikolic to ride exciting New Zealand galloper Sphenophyta in the Turnbull Stakes next month in his attempt to get to the Caulfield Cup.

Freedman has sacked Queensland jockey Jim Byrne after the gelding encountered traffic problems most of the way down the Caulfield straight in the Underwood Stakes on Saturday.

Initially, it was thought Damien Oliver would replace Byrne, but Sky Television reported that Oliver had accepted the ride on Polar Bear and that Nikolic would ride Sphenophyta.

Nikolic will return from his present base in Hong Kong to take the ride.

The Turnbull, run at Flemington over 2000 metres on October 7, represents one of the few remaining chances Sphenophyta has to make the Caulfield Cup field.

The winner of the Turnbull is exempt from the cup ballot and currently Sphenophyta's best chance of a cup start is by winning an exempt race, as he is 49th equal in the order of entry.

Freedman's plans for Sphenophyta mean he will not send the horse back to New Zealand to run in the $1 million Kelt Capital Stakes, which is run on the same day as the Turnbull.

Sphenophyta flashed late for sixth in the Underwood, only getting clear late in the run home.

Freedman told the Herald-Sun that Sphenophyta, who was shuffled back to last on the rails and hit three dead-ends in the straight, would have gone close to beating El Segundo with a clear run.

"His closing sectional times were right up there with El Segundo and that's while Sphenophyta was running into trouble," he said.

"What times would he have run in the clear? In an ideal world he would win the Turnbull and then I'd take him straight into the Caulfield Cup, but he might have to do that to make the cup field.

"If he doesn't win the Turnbull, I'll probably have to back him up the following week."

However, Freedman said he would pull the pin on Sphenophyta's spring campaign instantly if he showed signs of fatigue.

"I'm still treating him as a week-to-week proposition because he's been through that winter campaign in Brisbane.

"My instinct says he could say he's had enough any time."

Noel Callow has been dumped from Our Smoking Joe, but Freedman is yet to replace him for the 2000m Turnbull.

Byrne wasn't the only jockey to feel Freedman's wrath after his three runners in the Underwood all struck trouble.

Callow has also lost the ride on Our Smoking Joe for the Caulfield Cup, and Steven King could be replaced on luckless Serenade Rose.

- NZPA