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By Ray Hickson

It might seem that Jay Ford and Joe Pride have formed a recent alliance given their run of success together in the past couple of months but with every win they're edging closer to a century partnership when they combine at Randwick on Saturday.

Jockey Jay Ford. (Pic: Bradley Photos)

Ford partners again with stablemates In Flight and Anagain, as he did when the pair won at the Rosehill meeting two weeks ago, and the in-form jockey sees no reason why they can’t hold their form.

To date the Ford/Pride partnership stands at 96, 11 of those this season, following Headley Grange's win midweek at Warwick Farm.

Ford is unbeaten in two rides on In Flight and while she’s lumped with 60kg he believes Pride has made the right call in chasing the hat-trick in the ASX Maurice Farhart Handicap (1100m) over the 1000m dash later in the day.

“I think she’s better suited at the 1100m rather than going back to the 1000m, Joe went this way and I think it’ll be the right way,’’ Ford said.

“She’s having a really good preparation and I can’t see why that can’t continue albeit she has to carry the big weight.

“She’s very adaptable, depending on how the race is run she can tack up close to the speed up front or settle behind them and run on. It’s good to have versatility like she does.”

In Flight, $3.80 with TAB on Thursday, has won four races this season and tops the leaderboard for the BOBS Horse Of The Year title with $56,250 won for her connections in bonuses.

Another win would seal that award and Ford said while the filly rises 3.5kg on her most recent win there’s a strength about her that tells him she can cope.

“It’s a similar sort of race to what she’s been racing in but obviously she’s been winning so she finds herself with a big weight on her back,’’ he said.

“What’s been one standout in her last two wins is that her best portion has been her last 100m.

“It shows she’s in good form, she’s got a good little record and finds herself in another race on Saturday that she’s in up to her ears.”

Anagain has won three races from 30 starts but the common theme of her two wins for the Pride stable has been Ford’s presence on her back.

The mare’s last start win was the first time Ford had partnered Anagain since guiding her to a breakthrough win almost a year ago.

He rode her three more times in that preparation and two weeks ago was the first time he'd been the pilot this campaign.

She rises 2kg on that last start win meeting a very similar field of mares in the I Love 0% Cocktails Handicap (1400m) and while Ford said she’s not a horse you can be bullish about he always expects her to be competitive.

In Flight wins at Rosehill on June 29

“She doesn’t win out of turn but she got the job done the other day so it’ll be interesting to see if she can go back to back,’’ he said.

“She always runs well, she’s never far away, she’s drawn well in a similar grade of race and I’m sure she will run well.

“It remains to be seen whether she can put two together.”

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