Jockey Brenton Avdulla is looking forward to seeing how the Con Karakatsanis-trained sprinter Howmuchdoyouloveme comes back in his first-up up run in the Razor Sharp Handicap 2014 on Villiers Stakes Day this weekend.
The six-year-old Written Tycoon gelding has enjoyed seven wins from 20 starts to date with Avdulla aboard him for six of those turf triumphs.
The duo will shoot for a seventh on Saturday at Royal Randwick, a track the horse is yet to win at in three previous attempts, with Howmuchdoyouloveme leading a small eight-horse field for the $100,000 Listed Thoroughbred Breeders NSW Razor Sharp (1200m).
He carries the 59kg top weight giving away kilos to some classy types including the odds-on favourite at $1.85 in Razor Sharp Handicap odds at Ladbrokes.com.au – Starlight Stakes winner Our Boy Malachi (57kg) after his fifth straight win.
Howmuchdyouloveme with the rails run from barrier one meanwhile pays $10 to win, the only other horse shorter than him in Razor Sharp Handicap betting being the market mover Dothraki (58kg) paying $3.70 after opening at $4.
Gerald Ryan’s Mossman four-year-old Dothraki won at Rosehill a month back and comes off a second behind Saturday’s favourite Our Boy Malachi in the Listed Starlight Stakes (1100m) from November 29.
Avdulla last was aboard the horse 11 months ago for a first-up second to Knoydart in the Listed Canterbury Classic (1110m) when the galloper spent a short spell under Jim Litt.
The jockey however has ridden him to two smart trial wins in Sydney this season that has Avdulla confident of another credible run when resuming this time round.
“It has been a while since I have been on him in a race, but I rode him in his two trials and he is going all right,” Avdulla told The Brisbane Times.
“He has to give away weight and race fitness to a couple of fairly good horses.”
Howmuchdoyouloveme hasn’t raced since a failed two run Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival raid back in June.
His last start was a distant ninth when second last behind Big Money weakening late in the Group 3 WJ Healy Stakes (1200m) at Eagle Farm when carrying 60kg on June 21.
That was his second run off a three month spell and followed an also disappointing seventh to Cape Kidnappers when allocated 61kg in the Listed Lightning Handicap (1000m) a fortnight earlier.
It’s been a long time between drinks for the galloper who hasn’t won a race since last year’s WJ Healy, his second Group triumph following success in the Group 2 Caulfield Sprint (1100m) in October of 2012.
Avdulla is hoping that some wet Sydney weather can aid his mount on the weekend and is confident Howmuchdyouloveme will be improving on whatever he does in the Razor Sharp.
“It has been a while since I have been on him in a race [the last time resulted in a second in the Canterbury Classic in January] but I rode him in his two trials and he is going all right,” Avdulla said. “He has to give away weight and race fitness to a couple of fairly good horses.
“He has good record on wet tracks but it wasn’t against this sort of opposition,” he said.
“I’m looking forward to seeing what he can do because he has always been a smart sprinter, but he will improve from Saturday.”
Check out the full Sydney race markets online now at Ladbrokes.com.au and throw a sneaky punt on Howmuchdoyouloveme in the Razor Sharp at our preferred online bookie!