Accomplished veteran Grant Buckley is likely the most travelled jockey in the state and it hasn’t been of his own choosing spending more time home at Hawkesbury than he can remember prior to Friday’s Tamworth TAB meeting in heavy conditions.
The feature race is the Coal Transport Curlewis Cup, $24,000, 1400m, transferred from the Gunnedah TAB meeting that lost the final two races.
Grant Buckley [pictured left], having already clocked up a phenomenal 2300 career wins, has a strong book throughout the nine-race program.
And typically, well-armed on the form as his wife Chantelle, a former jockey, is a respected Sky Racing analyst.
"Like having a computer beside me, I'll go through replays the night before and Chantelle will do the form when she comes home from working at Canterbury; she won't be coming to Tamworth," Grant explained.
"We share opinions, but have our own, she said if she had done as much homework as she does now, she'd have had a lot more success as a jockey. But yep a real good judge."
Grant has been inactive with numerous meetings washed-out: "Enforced break, we're lucky to be on high ground at Hawkesbury, lower levels have been flooded, people have had such a hard time."
Likely Grant's best value is Deep Mirror ($11 on TAB) in the Tamworth City Toyota BM 66 (1600) for Stirling Osland and Dresden ($5) for Tracy Bartley in the Callcott Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Maiden (1200m).
"Definitely, Deep Mirror gets through the ground, consistent and genuine, can race on-pace at 1600m."
Osland has a super record at home, Deep Mirror is a "swimmer" five-race winner, three on soft tracks and heavy placings.
"I rode Dresden in a trial, gave me a really good feel, forward enough resuming I'd say, drawn in and a Wyong placing last prep is good form for a maiden up here."
Buckley has a close association with John Ramsey's Barellan Bandit ($5.50) at value odds in the Cup.
"Really nice type, I won on him at 2100m and 1600m last prep and while 1400m is short of his best, he's placed second-up and has the ability.
"Still fresh off a 1000m. He can be aggressive and over-race, we're trying to get him to settle but he's drawn and gets through ground."
At present Tamworth is a Heavy 9 in overcast conditions and missed the worst of the weather.
