WIDDUP AND COLLETT JOIN FORCES FOR BIG DANCE QUEST

BRAD Widdup is hoping a late riding switch will help him win Royal Randwick’s Big Dance tomorrow with his first runner.

Hawkesbury’s leading trainer says he was fortunate to be able to book Jason Collett for Ruby Flyer in the $3m 1600m feature when Dylan Gibbons took the mount on Lord OfBiscay for leading Newcastle trainer Kris Lees, with whom he served his apprenticeship.

Gibbons qualified Ruby Flyer for the Big Dance when he partnered him to victory in the Goulburn Cup (1400m) in August, and has been aboard the gelding at all three subsequent starts, including a latest second over tomorrow’s course on October 25.

He also was successful on Ruby Flyer over the Big Dance 1600m at Randwick in June last year when the accomplished wet tracker revelled in the heavy ground.

“Things fell in our favour as Jason didn’t have a booking in the Big Dance,” Widdup said today.

“He has ridden for me before, and was runner-up on Icebathas a three-year-old at Randwick.”

Randwick this morning was rated a “Soft 6”, and Widdup says he would not have minded the track being even wetter.

“Ruby Flyer is in terrific order,” he said. “I’m really happy with him.

“He is proven at the Randwick ‘mile’ and I’m looking forward to him running well.”

Given his Randwick credentials and wet track prowess, Ruby Flyer seems well and truly over the odds at his $51 quote with Tab.com.au this morning.

Whilst Ruby Flyer is Widdup’s first runner in the fourth running of the Big Dance, the gelding will be Collett’s third ride in Randwick’s Melbourne Cup day feature.

He finished 10^th on $16 chance Hollywood Hero in 2023, and seventh on another $16 chance Detonator Jack to stablemate Gringotts last year.

Widdup narrowly missed qualifying High Dandy for last year’s Big Dance when the bold front-runner gave a great sight in the Dubbo Cup before roughie Sneak Preview overhauled him in the closing stages.

Ruby Flyer is one of four provincial representatives in the Big Dance. As well as this year’s Provincial-Midway Championships Final runner-up Lord Of Biscay ($9), Lees has last year’s Big Dance fourth Tavi Time ($7), and Wyong’sNacim Dilmi has Bathurst Cup winner Aix En Provence ($151).

Ruby Flyer’s stablemate Money Team, withdrawn from a Randwick engagement last Saturday because of a wide draw, will run in tomorrow’s Benchmark 84 Handicap (1200m), with Collett also aboard.

The last start Warwick Farm winner has only six rivals and has a great chance to double up. He headed betting at $2.90 this morning.

Widdup also withdrew Jedibeel from last Saturday’s $3m Russell Balding Stakes (1300m), and is floating him to Melbourne on Wednesday night.

He has booked leading Melbourne jockey Blake Shinn for the talented sprinter in Saturday’s $3m Group 1 VRC ChampionsSprint (1200m).

Meanwhile, fellow Hawkesbury trainer James Ponsonby is planning to back up Philipsburg at Randwick in the Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap (1800m).

The eight-year-old gelding ran out of his skin when third at $71 to Newcastle’s Sonofdec in last Saturday’s $500,000 Four Pillars Midway (1500m) at Randwick.

“Philipsburg was an emergency, got a start and picked up $47,500,” Ponsonby said this morning, en route to Corowa races.

“He has been a beauty for us. That took his earnings to nearly $700,000.

“Philipsburg had a jog on the lead this morning and will back up provided he continues to do well.

“I backed him up before earlier in the year. He ran fourth over 1880m at Newcastle in February and four days later won over 2140m at Warwick Farm.”

Winona Costin, who won two Brisbane middle distance races in consecutive weeks on Philipsburg in April and also rode him in the Four Pillars, sticks with him tomorrow.

Philipsburg had one start in New Zealand over 1100m as a two-year-old in 2019 before Ponsonby bought him online for $20,000 through Inglis Digital in October 2020.

Story John Curtis, November 3, 2025 - Pics Bradley Photos