Jockey Ryan Curatolo can’t wait to be reunited with one of his favourite horses, Chalaza, this Friday.
Some might think Curatolo “ditched” the Steven Burridge-trained son of Road To Rock for a “better horse” at his last start, but the Frenchman said that circumstances and permutations leading to a booking differ from race to race, and regardless of his choice, he always thought of Chalaza as a very genuine horse.
Curatolo partnered Chalaza to his last two wins, but at his last start when rising in grade in a Kranji Stakes A race over 1400m on April 20, he rode Viviano instead.
Neither won, but the Mark Walker-trained Viviano finished a lot closer to the winner Preditor – second, while Chalaza, who had Alan Munro up, ran unplaced five lengths off the winner.
Curatolo said he had been impressed by Viviano at his previous run when he lost by a nose to Chopin’s Fantaisie in a Kranji Stakes B race over 1400m. He had the best seats to watch the titanic duel as he was aboard Chalaza who finished third two lengths off the fighting pair.
By coincidence, Chalaza and Viviano again clash this Friday in the $100,000 Kranji Stakes B race over 1400m. With Viviano’s connections having, however, gone for Vlad Duric this time, Curatolo could have been left high and dry, but said an instant “yes” when Burridge gave him the chance to be reinstated aboard Chalaza.
“The trainer and the owner have a good relationship with Duric and they put him on Viviano. That’s the way it is at times, and I’m more than happy to jump back on Chalaza,” said Curatolo who serves a two-day ban for careless riding after Friday’s meeting.
“Viviano beat Chalaza by two lengths once, and when I was given the chance to ride him, I didn’t pass it up. He ran super, but we cannot judge Chalaza on his run that night as he was caught three wide.
“Things are different this Friday. Chalaza has drawn a bit better than last time while Viviano has a bad draw and will carry 59.5kgs.
“Actually, there is not much difference between the two horses. I couldn’t be happier to be back on a horse I know very well.
“He is a horse who is better when ridden cold, and that’s when he can best show his turn of foot.
“The race is not tough but neither is it easy. I think Curvature and Viviano are the horses to beat, but my horse has a good chance.”
Burridge has for one put a line through Chalaza’s last run, hoping that the drop back to easier grade can fire up the Lim’s & Mark’s Stable-owned gelding again.
“He didn’t have much luck at his last run. He was caught wide, and we can’t blame the rider,” said the Australian handler.
“He was just average, maybe he didn’t measure up, but now he’s back in Kranji Stakes B company. He should stand a better chance, even if carries a bit of weight, but he’ll be right.”
