Coyle Hoping To Rediscover Uber Form After Reunion

Newcastle Herald

Saturday October 18, 2008

By GEOFF WILSON

IN-FORM Newcastle trainer Jason Coyle and Uber are back together but in vastly different circumstances.

Uber will be having his first start for Coyle today when he attempts to win the listed Lightning Stakes over 1100 metres at Randwick for the second time.

The pair are old mates, and the owners of Uber are hoping the magic Coyle once had with the horse can help him recapture his best form.

When they were together many years ago Coyle was a stablehand with high hopes and Uber was as promising as a young horse could be.

In 2004 Coyle, who was working for trainer David Payne, led Uber into the winner's stall after the youngster captured the prestigious Black Opal Stakes at Canberra.

Coyle was with Uber when he raced in the Golden Slipper and throughout his two-year-old and three-year-old seasons.

Since then the pair have come a long way.

Coyle has gone on to show what he learned as a strapper for Payne to now be considered one of the most promising trainers in the land.

He is having great success for big-spending owner Nathan Tinkler at Broadmeadow, having scored two city wins for him in recent weeks.

Uber is at the other end of his career.

"The owners asked me to give him a chance as the old horse was struggling to get back to his best form," Coyle said.

"I had plenty of contact with Uber and his owners when I strapped the horse when he was a youngster."

Uber is now a tried and tested seven-year-old.

"I asked David Payne if it was all right if I took the horse, and he said he thought I was exactly the right bloke to see if Uber could get back to something like his old form," Coyle said. "I picked out the Lightning for the horse as he won the race two years ago."

Uber was transferred to Coyle from Payne at Rosehill after failing in a Sydney trial.

"He has gone well since coming to Newcastle, but he is basically a race-by-race proposition," he said.

"He seems to have settled in well when he saw he was back with me . . . maybe that is what he needed."

Coyle will also start promising two-year-old Bargaining at Randwick in the City Tattersalls Plate (1000m). Bargaining is backing up after finishing fifth on debut last week.

"He did a good job at his first start and has not gone backwards," Coyle said.

Cartoon Character will be having her first start for Coyle in the Rose Of Tralee Handicap over 1200m.

She was bought by Tinkler after being sold from the Kris Lees stable at a Magic Millions sale.

"She has settled in incredibly well, but she did come to me in perfect condition," Coyle said. "Cartoon Character trialled very well, and if she races well on Saturday she might go to Melbourne this spring."

© 2008 Newcastle Herald

Back to News Index | Back to Home