Harry Coffey had a procedure on Sunday in a bid to keep the ride on Shockletz, while Ciaron Maher lines up a record seven runners in Tuesday's Melbourne Cup.
The Melbourne Cup countdown has a jockey drama at its centre. Harry Coffey, booked for the Ciaron Maher-trained mare Shockletz, is fighting to be fit for Tuesday after a heavy fall at Flemington on Saturday.
What happened to Coffey
Coffey was riding Pondalowie in the Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes on Derby Day when he came down in the straight. He was taken to hospital for scans on a suspected broken collarbone. Pondalowie was checked by Racing Victoria vets and cleared of injury.
On Sunday Coffey had a procedure at Melbourne's Epworth Hospital, and connections said he would be given every chance to prove his fitness. The stable now faces a nervous wait.
Who could replace him?
Shockletz carries the minimum 51kg, which narrows the list of available riders. Maher said owner Laurence Eales would make the call if Coffey is ruled out, and Kerrin McEvoy has been floated as an option. Michael Dee, who handed over his ride on Strictly Business to Dean Yendall, has also been mentioned. No replacement had been booked at the time of writing.
Shockletz at a glance
- Five-year-old New Zealand-bred mare by Shocking, the 2009 Melbourne Cup winner Eales also raced
- Won the Group 3 Archer Stakes (2500m) at Flemington in September to earn her Cup start
- Ran second in the Group 3 Tesio Stakes at Flemington on 24 October
- Barrier 17 with 51kg, and one of the top few in the market
A record hand for Maher
Shockletz is one of seven Maher runners in the 24-horse field, a new record for one trainer in the Cup. The old mark of six was set by Robert Hickmott in 2013. Maher's only Cup win so far came with Gold Trip in 2022, shared with David Eustace.
His seven are Point Of Law (barrier 9), the race favourite, plus Middle Earth (1), Zahrann (11), Juja Kibo (14), Mr Monaco (16), Shockletz (17) and Royal Supremacy (21). Joseph O'Brien has five, so nearly half the field comes from two stables.
The punting angle
A late jockey change does not have to be a negative, but a rider who has never sat on Shockletz must deal with a wide gate and a light weight in a big field. Check the final rider declaration before you settle on her. With seven Maher runners, expect plenty of talk about which one the stable rates highest, but the market has settled firmly on Point Of Law. See all the runners on our Melbourne Cup horses page.
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