Oliver on crest of wave
Champion jockey Damien Oliver is refreshed and hungry for another hometown Group 1 win in today's $750,000 Crown Perth Winterbottom Stakes (1200m).
Oliver arrived in Perth yesterday and is poised to continue his hot Melbourne spring carnival form when he rides Winter- bottom favourite, the Robbie Griffiths-trained Angelic Light.
The Hall of Fame hoop spent 10 days on a surfing trip in the Mentawai Islands in Indonesia while serving a careless riding suspension.
The trip revitalised him after a busy spring carnival, which included a Group 1 double in the Victoria Derby (Preferment) and Mackinnon Stakes (Happy Trails).
Oliver is confident Angelic Light, a firm $3 favourite with the TAB, will prove hard to beat.
"She comes here in great form," Oliver said.
"We're pretty excited about her chances and I think she'll be hard to beat.
"It's not going to be any cakewalk, there are a few strong interstate rivals, but I wouldn't want to be on anything else."
Griffiths is also confident Angelic Light will prove hard to beat with decent luck.
The Holy Roman Emperor mare ran a luckless second to Lankan Rupee in the Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley last month, her most recent run.
Oliver, who won the Winter- bottom aboard Marasco in 2006, will use today's Ascot meeting to launch another international riding stint. "I've got a week riding in Mauritius in the first week of December so I won't be able to get back for the Kingston Town," Oliver said.
"If a good ride comes my way I'll definitely come back for the Perth Cup."
Meanwhile, trainer Jim Taylor conceded barrier 11 would hurt the chances of Magnifisio, WA's best hope in the feature sprint.
Magnifisio drops back from 1400m after scoring an impressive win in the Lee-Steere Stakes a fortnight ago.
Taylor won the Winterbottom in 2012 with Barakey, who was ruled out of today's race because of a virus.
"She (Magnifisio) is really good in herself and she's jumping out of her skin," Taylor said.
"But the barrier is a big hiccup.
"I would have preferred to be following Angelic Light, but now Angelic Light is probably going to sit on her.
"She might not get as good a run as last start."
Magnifisio is rated an $8 chance.
Trainer Adam Durrant will make a decision this morning on whether $51 outsider Ysmael takes his place in the Winter- bottom.
Durrant told stewards Ysmael was improving after showing signs of a hoof abscess on Thursday.
"We're pretty excited about her chances … I wouldn't want to be on anything else." " *Damien Oliver * on his Winterbottom Stakes mount Angelic Light
