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Les Bridge didn't blink when forced to find a replacement for Tim Clark on hot mare Slow Burn at Rosehill on Saturday, turning to in-form apprentice and new father Blaike McDougall.Â
Bridge's trusted jockey Clark will chase the riches of Derby day at Flemington, paving the way for the mellowed three-kilogram claimer McDougall to pick up a good book of rides in Sydney.
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It will be headed by Slow Burn, which Sportsbet was shopping as a $2.80 favourite for the seventh race.
And Bridge has no qualms about the relative inexperience of McDougall compared to Clark, one of the country's most prolific jockeys,  despite the apprentice's well publicised run-ins with stewards and a string of suspensions last year.
"He rides a bit of work for me and I've watched him here every morning," Bridge said.
"He's a big kid, a mature sort of kid and the sort of bloke I like who can still claim. That race suits her and we've gone for the allowance because Timmy's in Melbourne and he rides well."
Clark will partner Global Glamour in the $500,000 Myer Classic at Flemington.
Slow Burn was narrowly beaten by Osborne Bulls and In Times Of War after a wide run at Canterbury last start, but will drop back in distance to 1100 metres for her third start of the campaign.Â
Bridge admitted the unfamiliar trip might be a risk on paper, but was confident the four-year-old mare would ride the tempo as he plots a path to stakes grade in the autumn.
"I think she's gone forward, she hasn't gone backwards," Bridge said.
"Some of these fillies and mares can jump out of the ground. We'll see what she does this time in, but we've sort of missed anything decent this time in regards to Melbourne. But we'll test the waters with her and maybe next preparation [she'll be at her best].
"A bit of racing under her belt will help. She's been a bit of a late starter and she wants some seasoning. Those sort of fillis get better by degree as they go on and I wouldn't mind another Hot Danish or Avoid Lightning.
"She'll be very hard to beat."
In Times Of War was a $4.50 second favourite on Friday as she tries to snap a streak of four consecutive second placings.