'OLD FIRM' STILL VERY MUCH IN BUSINESS

When trainer Alan Bailey announced he was downsizing his stable earlier this year, his rivals might have been forgiven for thinking they could look forward to having a bit more breathing space than they had previously enjoyed.

It was a false hope – as the facile win of Tears’N’Cheers at Eagle Farm showed on Saturday.

The statement was clear. The ‘old firm’ of Alan Bailey and jockey Glen Colless is still very much in business.

Bailey reduced the number of horses in his care from a steady number of ‘around fifty’ to a more manageable number of thirty. The reduction was planned and orchestrated to a prescribed timetable and the re-organisation was completed in June after which Bailey went on holiday.

He has now returned fresh from a rest and ready for the new challenge.

“It (the downsizing) wasn’t an easy process,” admitted Bailey.

“I actually wanted to cut more, but it got to the stage where the people became more important than the horses,” explained Bailey. “Many of my owners ... you know, we go way back. They’ve been very good to me and the loyalty factor comes into play so that’s why I kept more horses than I wanted.

“I took no pleasure in those that I did cut,” continued Bailey. “When I originally sent letters out to everybody saying what I was going to do, most of them said ‘that can’t be right’. They basically couldn’t believe it.

“You see I have a good relationship with all of my owners. It’s either works that way or I don’t have them.

“So it has been a difficult process but, once everybody knew it was happening, they seemed to understand. Things went pretty smoothly and I’m comfortable with the ways things stand now.

“I still go to the gallops and watch races with all my old friends, so in some respects little changed.”

... and that includes still having Glen Colless as the number one call.

“Absolutely,” confirmed Bailey. “Not only with myself, but also with all of the owners.”

Tears’N’Cheers was the latest addition to a long line of winners chalked up by the Bailey-Colless combination.

“He’s been going well,” said Bailey. “He should have won at the Sunshine Coast. He was drawn wide and then another horse took him out on the bend.

“Then last time he got into trouble all by himself,”continued Bailey.

“Glen was not happy with having the blinkers on. I’ve been away on holiday for a month and I forgot to take the blinkers off ... which Glen said may have been just as well because it helped give him a good shot today.

“We’ll head for the Golden Rose in three weeks time,” confirmed Bailey. “He’ll get 56kg at set weights. You have to take your chance in a $1 million race.

“If nothing else the travelling will add to his experience and help him mature,”concluded Bailey.