Third time lucky for Uncommon James in The Galaxy

By Glenn Davis

Trainer Matthew Hoysted is hoping it’s third time lucky for his stable star Uncommon James in the Group 1 The Galaxy at Rosehill on Saturday.

Hoysted accepted with Uncommon James in the 1100 metre feature after initially declaring he was only a 50-50 chance of taking his place.

“He’s got 57kgs and I was a bit worried he was giving away too much weight to horses like Private Harry and some others,” Hoysted said.

However, Hoysted later confirmed Uncommon James would head to The Galaxy instead of the Group 3 Star Kingdom Stakes at Randwick on Saturday week.

Uncommon James is on a make-or-break autumn campaign and so far, things are looking bright ahead of The Galaxy.

Uncommon James returned from a summer spell with a courageous fourth behind the Brad Widdup-trained Jedibeel in the Group 2 Challenge Stakes at Randwick on March 8.

A six-time winner in 17 starts, Uncommon James showed signs of his old self sitting off the pace before he faded close to the line.

“He pulled up big as expected after the Challenge Stakes and had a really big puff,” Hoysted said.

“They carved out some really good splits in that race so I’m expecting a big improvement.”

Uncommon James hasn’t won since giving Hoysted his biggest thrill in racing by claiming the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate in Melbourne in February of 2023.

He is attempting to become the first Queensland-trained galloper to win The Galaxy since the Tony Gollan-trained Temple Of Boom won in 2012.

The son of Cable Bay went to Sydney for his first attempt at The Galaxy immediately after his Oakleigh triumph and finished a courageous second to Mariamia.

He wound up his autumn campaign that year with a trip to Perth for the $4 million The Quokka at Ascot but could manage on eighth, beaten just over two lengths by the Bjorn Baker-trained Overpass.

Uncommon James then was sent to Melbourne for a spring campaign and placed twice at the highest level in the Moir and Manikato Stakes at Moonee Valley as well as the Group 2 Schillaci Stakes at Caulfield.

However, he did not repeat those deeds when he went back to Sydney last autumn as he finished fifth in The Galaxy behind Godolphin’s Zapateo.

“He was a bit stiff and got held up for a run in his first Galaxy and he wasn’t beaten far last year by horses with lighter weights,” Hoysted said.

Hoysted is likely to give Uncommon James another Sydney run before spelling him to prepare for the Melbourne spring carnival.

“There’s possibly one more run for him down there and if he wins and wins well in The Galaxy, we’d have to look at the TJ Smith,” Hoysted said.

“But, being realistic, there’s the Hall Mark Stakes at Rosehill coming up which would be his last run down there.”