Jockey Dan Nikolic says he will be fit to ride this week after being stood down on doctor's orders at Caulfield on Saturday.Nikolic fell ill after finishing fifth on Commanding Time in the first race and was unable to ride outsider Spectrolite in the Group One Blue Diamond Stakes."I have been just struggling a bit with my weight and was wasting pretty hard to ride that filly (at 53kg)," Nikolic said."I was crook and the doctor stood me down."Nikolic has been trying to rebuild his career after a
Jockey Dan Nikolic says he will be fit to ride this week after being stood down on doctor's orders at Caulfield on Saturday.
Nikolic fell ill after finishing fifth on Commanding Time in the first race and was unable to ride outsider Spectrolite in the Group One Blue Diamond Stakes.
"I have been just struggling a bit with my weight and was wasting pretty hard to ride that filly (at 53kg)," Nikolic said.
"I was crook and the doctor stood me down."
Nikolic has been trying to rebuild his career after a number of confrontations with Racing Victoria stewards including an exhaustive investigation into betting irregularities allegedly linked to 21 of his rides.
He was cleared of any offence relating to the rides but tensions reached new heights when he was suspended for two months and fined $10,000 after a clash with stewards during Melbourne Cup week over an alleged modified riding vest.
Nikolic was again in the news on Monday and distancing himself from his former father-in-law Les Samba who was shot dead in the Melbourne suburb of Middle Park on Sunday night.
Nikolic resumed riding on Australia Day and rode his first winner for the year when Family Bliss scored at Sandown last Wednesday.
He has two rides at Wednesday's Sandown meeting and both have encouraging form.
Ballarat placegetter Peninsula Dane will have its second start in the Race-Tech Hcp (1000m) and Dashing Stars has been placed three of his four starts going in to the Le Pine Funerals Hcp (1400m).
On Saturday Nikolic will try to win his second Group One Australian Guineas on Spirited Eagle for co-trainers Leon Macdonald and Andrew Gluyas.
"He looks like a nice horse an I'm happy to be riding him," said Nikolic who won the 2004 Guineas on Reset.
Spirited Eagle has been stakes-placed at his past two starts, finishing second to Eclair Mystic in the Zeditave (1200m) at Caulfield and third to Bullbars and Startsmeup in the Group Three C S Hayes Stakes(1400m) at Flemington on February 19.
Spirited Eagle is $17 with TAB Sportsbet while the stable's other runner Southern Speed, unbeaten in three starts, is the $8 third favourite and will be ridden by Clare Lindop.