Young gun Luke Cartwright has scored the prized ride on emerging three-year-old Regal Award in Saturday week’s G1 Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm.
Trainer Phillip Stokes confirmed the booking on Monday and reported the gelding has recovered well from his win in the G3 Fred Best Classic.
Lachlan Neindorf was in the saddle on Saturday but is unable to make the 49.5kg featherweight that Regal Award has in the Stradbroke.
Stokes said Jamie Melham and Craig Williams were among several of the stable’s go-to jockeys that were approached for the ride but they either had prior bookings or are unable to make the weight.
Cartwright went close to a maiden G1 win in last month’s Goodwood in Adelaide when narrowly beaten aboard Extragalactic.
“It’s been bloody hard (to find the right jockey) at that weight, I tell you,” Stokes said.
“Luke Cartwright has been booked to ride him.
“We feel he is an up-and-coming talent.
“I watched that (Goodwood) carefully and I feel he gave that horse (Extragalactic) every chance.
“(Peter) Moody has been using him a lot and he tends to have a knack of finding those kids with talent early.
“Jamie (Melham) was our first pick but she couldn’t make the weight, Zac Lloyd is overseas, while Ben Thompson and Craig Williams already have rides.”
Regal Award is the $10 third favourite in Bet365’s Stradbroke market, which is headed by last-start G1 Kingsford-Smith winner Hedley Grange at $7.
