Latest News

By Ray Hickson

Anyone who supports Democracy Manifest knows he wins his races with barnstorming finishes so it’s important to produce him at the right time and that’s something jockey Tyler Schiller is acutely aware of.

Jockey Tyler Schiller (Pic: Bradley Photos).

Schiller, who has started the season with a flurry and sits in third in the premiership with 19 wins, has learned a thing or two about the Chris Waller-trained miler in two rides and hopes to put it to good use in the $1 million Five Diamonds Prelude (1500m).

They came with a rails-hugging run to win the Group 3 Cameron Handicap when the five-year-old was second-up but the fence wasn’t so kind when beaten just over a length in the Group 1 Epsom Handicap three weeks ago.

“I think he’s a quality horse but he needs everything to be timed right,’’ Schiller said.

“They told me when I first rode him he’s a bit of a momentum horse that needs to get going from the 600m.

“He was lucky to be getting runs on the inside (in the Epsom) but he actually picked up a lot quicker than I thought he would have.

“I’m not 100 per cent sure if he would have won but he would have finished in the first three.

“The third horse wasn’t far away from first so he would have gone pretty close. It shows he’s a Group 1 horse which is what we’re looking for.”

Democracy Manifest, $4.40 with TAB on Thursday, was scratched from the Group 1 King Charles III Stakes last week to be save for the Five Diamonds Prelude.

Schiller may not be seeing as much of the fence this time around, drawing toward the outside, but said if he gets the right run in transit he knows that big finish will carrying him a long way.

“Inside barriers can be detrimental or they can be great and at Newcastle the race was run to suit and all the breaks came his way,’’ he said.

“In the Epsom they didn’t go quite as hard and he settled a bit closer then, but when there’s quality horses and they don’t go as quick they stick on a bit more.”

Special Swey showed a return to form when he was runner-up in the Port Macquarie Cup, run at Taree, and chases a call up for the Big Dance when he contests the Wild Card (1600m) on Saturday.

The four-year-old won at 2000m last season with Schiller in the saddle and the jockey hopes he will settle better dropping in trip.

“I think he’s been over racing a bit which is maybe why he’s coming back to a mile,’’ he said.

“I know he won a 2000m race but he never raced like a stayer, he didn’t race kindly. It might get him to relax a bit more. I like the horse but I’m not sure they’ve completely figured him out.”

The champion apprentice from 2021/22 has made a good fist of transitioning into the senior ranks, he rode a double on TAB Everest day including his second Kosciuszko win on Front Page, and he can only hope to keep the roll going.

“It’s crazy to be honest. I know I haven’t had a claim for coming up on 12 months but I don’t feel like I’ve taken a backward step,’’ he said.

“I’ve got a lot of good support around me to keep me going forward. I’ve got Corey Brown helping me and my manager debriefing after races and getting me good rides as well.”

Democracy Manifest's run in the Epsom Handicap

Tyler Schiller on Amarantz (race 2): “She was terrific the other day, she was looking for further but Danielle (Seib) had her nice and fresh to run the trip that day. At the 200m I thought she was going to get there then the winner got through. She’s come back in great order, she’s always going to be a get back, run on, horse but she seems to have a good finish which is good enough for the Highways.”

On Junqueira (race 5): “I think she’s going well, I’ve only ridden her in the two trials. She gets a bit keen and her barrier manners were a bit hit and miss. I think the wide gate should help her as she won’t be in there as long. She has a nice turn of foot on her, I haven’t got to the bottom of her in either of her trials.”

On Jedibeel (race 6): “When I rode him with the wide gate he was never going to get much luck around Canterbury going forward. I was really happy with the way he finished off, then obviously last start he was pretty impressive. He jumped well and put himself in a great spot. I might have hit the front a bit too early on him, he didn’t pull up but had a bit of a think.”

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