Schiller aiming to take flight again with Hawkes’ swift talent

Tyler Schiller concedes it has been “hard to get momentum going” since his longer-than-expected time out with a fractured vertebra.

But, the five-time group 1-winning jockey knows it would be even harder without the support of the John, Michael and Wayne Hawkes training team.

Tyler Schiller celebrates the win of Briasa in the TJ Smith Stakes.Credit: Getty Images

Schiller hopes to use that backing, which has him aboard Swiftfalcon in the group 2 Tramway Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on Saturday, to kick-start his comeback and a spring carnival featuring the Hawkes’ Everest chance Briasa and their Golden Rose favourite Nepotism.

The 26-year-old fractured his T8 vertebra when thrown over the head of his fractious, unraced mount before the opener at Canterbury on May 28. He was initially expected to be sidelined for at least six weeks, but his time away from race riding was almost double that. He returned with rides at Doomben on August 16.

Still chasing his first win back, Schiller is staying patient.

“I’m just lucky I’ve got the Hawkes team. They are very loyal, and they’ve backed me so far, so if I can get the ball rolling with them, hopefully it snowballs into a few others,” Schiller said.

“It took a little bit longer [to return] than I was expecting, but I haven’t had any issues with my back. It’s more getting the muscles back used to riding and using them properly. It’s actually felt quite good.”

An overdue win with Swiftfalcon on Saturday will make Schiller feel even better.

Swiftfalcon was an exciting but ultimately frustrating prospect last preparation, placing behind stars Broadsiding, Linebacker and Aeliana in the three-year-old Sydney autumn features before missing out again in two contrasting runs at group 3 level.

Swiftfalcon finishing behind the now-retired Broadsiding and Chris Waller-trained star Aeliana in the Rosehill Guineas.Credit: Getty Images

He has returned with two sharp trial finishes and has gate six in the Tramway, where he was $6 with Sportsbet on Friday. Schiller was aboard for the most recent trial, and he was confident the son of Exceedance was ready to fire.

“He’s definitely back in good form,” he said.

“He just kept running into Broadsiding last prep. It was frustrating tactically-wise because Broadsiding was a bit more versatile than Swiftfalcon. This prep, he won’t have to deal with him, but he’ll have to deal with the older horses. But he’s come back in good order. His trial was really sharp.

“I think his record across his first three runs is really good. The end of his last prep, he probably tapered off a bit, and we rode him upside down.

“He tried hard all the time, but he just couldn’t get past Broadsiding early. But I’d be expecting him to run a good race. We’re pretty confident he’ll step up to the mark against the older horses.”

Swiftfalcon was tried on-pace in his final run last preparation, when fading to fourth as favourite in the Frank Packer Plate, but he has shown his customary finishing burst from the back of the field in trials. Schiller hoped to find a happy medium on Saturday.

Schiller, meanwhile, is excited to reunite with Briasa in his next trial after riding stablemate Airman in the Everest contender’s first public hit-out. He has been aboard Briasa in five of his seven wins, including victory in the TJ Smith Stakes, which helped secure a slot in the $20 million Everest on October 18. Briasa is set to return in the group 2 The Shorts at Randwick on September 20.

Meanwhile, Brad Widdup-trained Everest hopeful Jedibeel was scratched on Friday from his first-up assignment in Concorde Stakes (1000m) at Randwick on Saturday.

Widdupp said earlier in the week that Jedibeel was “not far away” from being a genuine group 1 competitor as owners Mulberry Racing considered him for their Everest slot.

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