Pride’s warning to punters after Headley Grange’s horror run

Joe Pride identified two target races for Headley Grange this spring, and while the sprinter had no luck in the first one, the trainer says he is a live chance to atone in the second.

The Group 1 winner will take his place in Saturday’s $3 million Russell Balding Stakes (1300m) at Randwick after finishing ninth to Formal Display in the Alan Brown Stakes (1400m) when he had a bumping duel with another runner and couldn’t find a clear passage in the straight.

“He had no luck at all in the Alan Brown. It didn’t pan out for him,” Pride said.

“He was held up for a run and didn’t get a look at them. I thought he went enormous.

“I love him on the fresh side. He’s three weeks’ between runs around this trip, which he gets again, and he loves it. He’ll be hard to beat.”

Zac Lloyd takes over the reins from regular jockey Adam Hyeronimus, who is sidelined by injury, but Lloyd has been in sensational touch and has a strikerate of just over 25 per cent when he rides for the stable.

Barn mate Coal Crusher will also take his place en route to another shot at The Hunter (1300m), a race he has contested for the past three years, winning the Newcastle feature in 2023 and 2025 and placing behind Briasa in between.

The nine-year-old is coming off an inglorious last in the Sydney Stakes (1200m) but Pride has told punters to put a line through it.

“He normally runs well in the Sydney Stakes, and he didn’t this year, but I can see why he didn’t,” Pride said.

“He had a torrid run and once he gets a check – he’s my horse and I can say what I want about him – he’s a sook. He’s a princess. He got a check, and he just said, ‘that’ll do me. Tools down’.”

“He’s got a better draw Saturday where he should be able to bounce on speed.

“If he’s on track to win the Hunter again, he’ll do what he’s done in this race in the past and run really well.”

Andrew Adkins has the ride on Coal Crusher from barrier four, while Headley Grange will jump from 10.