Decision for Bradley this week

Darryl Bradley is not sure if he can ride Our Bee Jay in the $45,000 Southland Guineas at Ascot Park on February 20.

The Palmerston North jockey is keen to be aboard the three-year-old after they ran second in Saturday's $45,000 Dunedin Guineas at Wingatui.

Bradley will decide later this week whether to come south or, on the same day, ride at the Taranaki Cup meeting in New Plymouth. The next day Bradley is likely to have rides at the Wairoa fixture.

If Bradley attends the Southland Racing Club's Guineas meeting, he will not be able to ride at Wairoa because of unsuitable plane schedules.

The horseman was delighted with Our Bee Jay's gutsy second to Champagne Ransom in the Dunedin Guineas.

"We were able to get a perfect run, got out at the right time and challenged hard," Bradley said of Our Bee Jay.

"I can see him becoming a versatile miler-stayer."

Ascot Park trainer Lisa Vaughan owns Our Bee Jay with her partner, Southland rugby coach Simon Culhane.

"He's been mentally and physically immature," Vaughan said of Our Bee Jay.

"He's taken a long time to learn, but he's getting there now."

The trainer plans to have three starters at the Ascot Park meeting on Thursday - Goldminersdaughter, Father Jack and Majallis.

Goldminersdaughter, part-owned by the Southland rugby team's doctor, Peter Finlayson, won a maiden race at the corresponding meeting 12 months ago. She has not raced for 10 months.

"She goes quite good fresh," Vaughan said.

Maiden galloper Majallis is resuming after a two-year break from racing.

"She was weak and really small."

Father Jack will have his fifth run back from a spell and is due to show form.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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