Melbourne jockey Dwayne Dunn is the new rider for Teaspoon in the Group 1 $3.5m Longines Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill on Saturday after Hong Kong based Australian jockey Zac Purton has been ruled out with an ear infection.
Jockey Dwayne Dunn, above, is the new rider for Teaspoon in the Golden Slipper, replacing Zac Purton. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Purton had to relinquish his rides at Happy Valley in Hong Kong on Wednesday night and missed riding a winning treble and tweeted today that he will be unable to fulfil his Golden Slipper engagement on the Michael Freedman trained Teaspoon.
“I will not travel to Syd for the Golden Slipper. Disappointed but wishing Michael Freedman and Arrowfield Stud all the best with Teaspoon,” Purton tweeted.
Freedman was quick to respond and tweeted that Dunn would be Purton’s replacement on the $31 Golden Slipper outsider.
“Very bad luck for Zac Purton being unable to ride in the Slipper due to illness. Dwayne Dunn now confirmed for Teaspoon,” Freedman tweeted.
Purton said that the ear problem came on the back of a lingering flu and he had to sit out the Happy Valley meeting after the club doctor stood him down.
“I was feeling a little bit dizzy because of that and went to the club doctor to see what I could do about it,” Purton told the HKRacing News.
“He said he could give me antibiotics to clear it but they would make me drowsy so I couldn’t ride. Well I couldn’t ride feeling dizzy either so I took the medicine and I was stood down.”
Teaspoon has drawn barrier fourteen in the original draw but could jump from gate twelve in the final sixteen horse field if all the emergencies fail to gain a start.
The Snitzel filly is the winner of two of her three race start and after winning on debut in an 1100m Canterbury 2yo Plate on November 5 went on to make it two from two with a win in the Group 3 $150,000 Widden Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill on January 28.
Teaspoon’s final lead run for the Golden Slipper saw her run third behind One More Honey and Artic Angel in the Group 2 $200,000 Vale Edgar Britt OAM Sweet Embrace Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on February 25.
Freedman will also saddle up his other smart filly Frolic in the Golden Slipper with Tommy Berry to ride.
Berry has been aboard Frolic at her last three starts for two wins in the Restricted Listed $250,000 Inglis Classic (1200m) at Randwick on February 13 and in the Group 2 $300,000 Affinity Shopping Reisling Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on March 4.
Frolic is currently marked at $13 for the Golden Slipper at Ladbrokes.com.au who has the Queensland filly Houtzen as the $4.40 favourite ahead of Reisling Stakes runner up She Will Reign at $5.50.
