By MIKE DILLON
If you still needed convincing Michael Walker will make it right to the top, the evidence was available yesterday.
Avidly watching the video replay of a $4500 midweek maiden at Avondale is not every jockey's dream, but Walker almost climbed inside the television set to watch his 109th win of the season aboard Sky Blue Lover.
The dedication to detail, which has typified just about every one of those wins, was clearly evident.
He analysed every footfall as if it was the Golden Slipper.
"I thought this filly would win today after riding her for the first time last start," he said with enthusiasm reserved for group one racing rather than a midweeker in the mud.
"After she finished third at Waipa I felt she needed blinkers and they worked well for her today."
Sky Blue Lover is by Blues Traveller from the Sir Tristram mare Tristram's Love and is raced by Watson Bloodstock Ltd, Craig Heatley and her trainer Graeme Rogerson.
Walker rates the filly highly.
"She's got a bit of class. This race was only 1200m, but she is a stayer in the making. She just needed the blinkers today to get her on the bit.
"I love her and she's going to get better and better."
Thirty minutes later the filly's stablemate Tai Hape provided win No110, leaving Darryl Bradley with the surety that his premiership hopes had only ever been a tease.
Bradley looked certainly to win and shorten Walker's premiership lead when he went to the front in the home straight, but Walker overtook him with the same relentlessness that has seen Bradley's premiership hopes dissolve.
The other impressive feature about Walker was also evident - attitude.
Ask him the toughest part of chasing around the country for premiership rides and he doesn't want to come up with a negative.
The travelling, perhaps?
"Yeh, the travelling does get a little tiring, but I know I have to do it so it doesn't worry me - I don't think about it."
Walker declared he will take a well-earned break at the completion of the season at the end of July.
"But it wont be for long. It's one thing to do all this season, but I've got to do it all again next season.
"I'll probably take a week on the Gold Coast."
* * *
Kayf Tara looks almost certain to try and put the lie to his shocking luck before the 1999 Melbourne Cup.
An impressive recent first-up win over 2800m in the Yorkshire Cup showed he has made a great recovery from the career-threatening leg injury he sustained on the eve of the last Melbourne Cup.
Australian bookmakers say every second Caulfield/Melbourne Cups double written since that win has finished with Kayf Tara.
* * *
Sunline returned to work last week and the McKees breathed a collective sigh of relief.
The champion mare has a tendency to bolt in her spelling paddock, something which is disconcerting when each leg is worth a couple of million dollars.
"We now put her in a paddock which is too small for her get up too much speed in," said Stephen McKee at Avondale races yesterday.
McKee said Sunline's physical condition is superb.
"It's a mystery why we even bothered to turn her out, she almost didn't need it.
"She looks terrific."
Another Cox Plate trophy would look just as terrific.
* * *
Gary Grylls will miss the ride on improving galloper Patronage at Ellerslie on Saturday after being suspended at Avondale yesterday.
Grylls got one day and is disappointed to miss the Patronage ride.
Racing: Walker maintains focus
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