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By Ray Hickson

Jockey Harry Coffey is looking forward to “seeing what all the fuss is about” when he makes his Randwick debut on Saturday to partner quality galloper Nonconformist.

Jockey Harry Coffey (Pic: Racing Photos)

Trips north of the border have been rare for the 28-year-old, he rode at a number of NSW venues in the early stages of his career and won an apprentice series race at Hawkesbury in 2013, but when the offer was made to continue his association with the eight-year-old he was more than happy to oblige.

Coffey won the Group 2 Blamey Stakes last year on Nonconformist and rode him through his spring preparation that was cut short when he was scratched on the eve of the Caulfield Cup.

It was that Blamey win that in some small way encouraged him to come to Sydney for the Group 2 $300,000 Daily Press Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) and see what unfolds with the preparation trainer Grahame Begg has mapped out.

“Grahame asked me to ride him and the owners were keen to give me another go,’’ Coffey said.

“I committed to him last preparation all the way through and unfortunately when we got to the grand final day we were scratched from the Caulfield Cup because he wasn’t quite right.

“I thought it’d be a shame to jump off now if he was to come back and do what you think he can do.

“He’s a pretty handy horse so if he was to run well it might lead to him running in some better races.

“I won on him first-up a couple of preps ago in the Blamey and he was really impressive, and I can’t get that out of my head even though he’s a bit longer in the tooth now.”

Michael Dee has been trialling Nonconformist in the lead up to his return to Coffey has to take on trust that the gelding is ready to do and he’s doing just that.

“He has a fair bit of class about him,’’ he said.

“In his trials and gallops they always get the feeling he’s going well just because of the natural class and commitment he has to being a racehorse.

“We’re feeling a bit of confidence that he should be able to run well. You never know until they get back to the races.”

The Chelmsford will also be Nonconformist's Randwick debut and Begg, who trained at Randwick until 2016, said there are a number of races through the Sydney spring that will suit the two-time Group 1 placegetter if he performs to what he hopes first-up.

They include the Group 3 $250,000 Kingston Town Stakes, the Group 3 $750,000 Craven Plate and the $750,000 Rosehill Gold Cup which are all run at 2000m.

“There are some beautiful races there, we’re looking at it as though there’s an opening,’’ Begg said.

“He won the Blamey on a similar preparation so it’s not beyond him to run well.

“We think he’s in outstanding condition and since he’s been up there in the last week he’s thrived.”

Nonconformist, $16 with TAB on Thursday, has had two jump outs on heavy ground and an official trial on a soft 5 track but Begg said his preparation has been an extended one so he shouldn’t lack too much in fitness.

@Grahame_Begg's two-time group 1 runner-up NONCONFORMIST looks set for a big Spring if his @KarakaChat jumpout at Southside Racing Cranbourne this morning is any guide 👀

Full results and replays from this morning's jumpouts 👉 https://t.co/mGu8DAcVn6 pic.twitter.com/mPIbwGAEMf

— Southside Racing (@SthsideRacing) August 12, 2024

Nonconformist's jump out at Cranbourne on August 12 (via Southside Racing)

“He’s been in training for a long time,’’ Begg said.

“We put him into training around March and he had two months work. We stopped him and gave him another five weeks out and then he’s been in work ever since.

“A firm surface would be good for him, his first two jump outs were on very heavy ground then the other day in his trial the ground was much better and he worked through the line very well.

“We think he’s better ridden with a bit of cover. If you expose him too much too early he’s not the same horse.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Randwick meeting