Murray Bridge trainer Michael Hickmott has teamed up with a trio of Richmond Football Club stars and will reproduce exciting debut winner Dyer at Murray Bridge on Saturday.
The Tigers posted an upset win over Adelaide last Thursday night while the Richmond connection will be on show at Saturday’s South Australian races.
Trainer Michael Hickmott will run Dyer at Murray Bridge on Saturday rather than Sandown where he was nominated for a 1000m two-year-old contest.
Dyer is named after the late Punt Road legend Jack Dyer, and raced by current Richmond players Jack Graham, Nathan Broad and Liam Baker.
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Hickmott said Dyer was one of several horses raced in partnership with Richmond stars along with Melbourne Cup-winning owner John O’Neill.
“It’s what the boys call the Punt Road Syndicate and we’re putting a lot more horses together,” Hickmott said.
“We’ve had a lot of fun so far and it’s all heading in the right direction.
“I met the boys through John O’Neill. I’ve known John since more or less when I first started training so I’ve been lucky enough to have a longstanding relationship with him.”
Dyer has had one start for a fighting debut win at Morphettville Parks on March 2.
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Trainer Michael Hickmott will run promising youngster Dyer at Murray Bridge on Saturday. Picture: Racing Photos via Getty Images
The son of Zousain showed speed to lead before digging deep to get the money as a well-backed favourite.
Hickmott said Dyer would continue to develop and had more wins in store for his owners.
“He’s a really nice horse,” he said.
“When he won at his first start, he knew nothing. I’m not even sure he’d had a trial.
“I think they’re going to have a lot of fun with him.”
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Hickmott said Dyer would head to stakes races after Saturday’s first-up assignment in which the trainer said the gelding might be a slight fitness query.
“He’s just going to go into Saturday a bit underdone over 1200m first-up but I’m hoping his ability will get him through,” Hickmott said.
“We’ll go from Saturday to the Oaklands Plate and Sires’ Produce over here. He’s heading in the right direction.”
Hickmott will accept with recent stable recruit Riverplate in a Benchmark 70 Handicap (1400m) at Sandown.
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However, he said the former Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained galloper was not a certain runner as the stable looked for the right assignment to resume the gelding’s career.
“The owners are just hoping that being out on the farm where I train and being on the heavy sand, it could reinvigorate him a bit,” Hickmott said.