A lucky pick-up ride four months ago could prove the catalyst for Doncaster glory for young jockey Peter Wells.Wells was given the chance to partner talented mare Palacio De Cristal in the Group Two Villiers Stakes in December after Glyn Schofield, who was booked for the ride, injured his heel when he was thrown from an unraced two-year-old five days before the race.Connections had to search for another lightweight jockey to ride her at 52kg and eventually settled on Wells.Palacio De Cristal, wi
A lucky pick-up ride four months ago could prove the catalyst for Doncaster glory for young jockey Peter Wells.
Wells was given the chance to partner talented mare Palacio De Cristal in the Group Two Villiers Stakes in December after Glyn Schofield, who was booked for the ride, injured his heel when he was thrown from an unraced two-year-old five days before the race.
Connections had to search for another lightweight jockey to ride her at 52kg and eventually settled on Wells.
Palacio De Cristal, with Wells having his first sit on the mare, came from last on the turn to win the Villiers with a brilliant finishing burst.
Saturday's $1.5 million Doncaster Mile (1600m) has been Palacio De Cristal's ultimate target since claiming the Villiers and with 51kg in the feature, Wells has kept his association with the mare right through the autumn.
Palacio De Cristal now looms as one of the real hopes of toppling favourite Typhoon Tracy, and both trainer Grahame Begg and the jockey believe she has the right credentials to be a Doncaster winner.
Wells is out to claim his first Group One as a senior rider having won the Group One Metropolitan (2400m) in 2008 on Newport as an apprentice.
He says Palacio De Cristal possesses the fastest finish of any horse he's ridden and just hopes the noted backmarker can get luck in running from barrier three in the capacity 20-horse Doncaster field.
"The barrier is probably not ideal for her," the jockey said.
"I'd rather her drawn 10 or out because she gets back and from there she could've just drifted back and slotted into a wider line so she could get clear running when the pressure is applied.
"From barrier three it's not an impossible gate or anything though. She'll get back and need a little bit of luck but if we get it she'll be in the finish."
Palacio De Cristal ran a slashing third first-up in the Group Two Apollo Stakes (1400m) at weight-for-age behind Doncaster fancies Danleigh and Rangirangdoo.
She then finished an eye-catching third in the Group One Coolmore Classic (1500m) at Rosehill on March 20 and fourth in the Group One George Ryder Stakes (1500m) on April 3.
Begg elected to run her in the Ryder instead of the Queen Of The Turf on the same day, citing the Ryder as a better traditional lead-up to the Doncaster.
"She's competed in this grade in her past few runs and as Grahame has stated, I think he's put her through the right preparation leading into the race," Wells said.
"She's been tested and proven she can compete at this level.
"Randwick is a better track for her than Rosehill so we'll be happy to be back at Randwick and hopefully it goes our way."