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DAMIEN Oliver will ride in Friday week’s $170,000 Albury Gold Cup.
In a major drawcard for the carnival, the triple Melbourne Cup-winning jockey has been booked to ride the Peter Gelagotis-trained Hvasstan.
And Cox plate-winning jockey Chad Schofield could join forces with Team Williams and could partner either Sea Moon, Mourayan or Tanby.
“Damien has committed to ride Hvasstan in the cup,” Mark Van Triet, who manages both jockeys, said yesterday.
“He will also take rides in a couple of the other races but he won’t have a full book.”
Oliver has had one previous ride in the Albury Gold Cup, combining with trainer Robert Smerdon to win aboard Hofmeister in 2007.
It will be Schofield’s first attempt at winning the Riverina’s richest race.
Hvasstan was beaten by a nose in Sunday’s Yarra Valley Cup with Craig Newitt aboard.
Newitt has been booked to ride the David Hayes-trained Extra Zero, a cup winner two years ago.
Dual Brownlow medallist Greg Williams is among Hvasstan’s part-owners.
Hvasstan won on Cox Plate Day at Moonee Valley over 2040 metres when partnered by Hugh Bowman.
Bowman is also Albury Gold Cup-bound and has been snapped up by Gelagotis to ride stablemate Mourinho.
Mourinho is a dual group 3 winner and finished sixth behind Epsom Handicap winner Fat Al in the Bendigo Golden Mile on Saturday.
Bowman has had one previous ride in the $170,000 feature for a third placing aboard the Lee Freedman-trained Speed Gifted in 2011.
Nominations for the two-day carnival close on Friday, with final fields declared on Tuesday.
