Pat Hyland can remember Kingston Town wobbling around Caulfield in the Guineas, only trumpeting the cause of cynics who say The Heath can be a graveyard for Sydney horses.
There's good reason Hyland remembers Tommy Smith's star coming undone in his first Melbourne start - he engineered The King's downfall on Runaway Kid, the second of his two Caulfield Guineas wins as a jockey.
Which is why Hyland senses Press Statement is no good thing in Saturday's $1 million mile as bookmakers slightly weakened Chris Waller's star colt's grip on favouritism after he drew an awkward barrier on Tuesday.
"He [Press Statement] is a Sydney horse and a lot of Sydney horses don't go around Caulfield," said Hyland, who will saddle up last start Pakenham maiden winner Lizard Island in the Guineas. "I remember Kingston Town came down here and he didn't race well around here at all [his first Melbourne start]."
Like Kingston Town, Press Statement will also be having his first Melbourne start in the stallion-making race and he drifted to $2.40 on Tuesday after being shopped as short as even money earlier in the week.
Press Statement's trainer Chris Waller provided his group 1 winner with a peep at Caulfield with a Tuesday morning hit out with Cox Plate favourite Kermadec, entered for the Caulfield Stakes on Saturday.
Hyland was 40 kilometres away at Cranbourne putting the final touches on Lizard Island's preparations for the Guineas, perhaps just a stepping stone en route to a potential Victoria Derby tilt.
His cause was no doubt helped when Lizard Island came up with barrier two for the Guineas with the country's hottest rider Hugh Bowman to have a couple of sleepless nights after Press Statement drew 14 in a field of 16.
"The Pakenham race was his touch-up for the Guineas and that's why I ran him there on a good track," Hyland said.
"I ride him in all his work and he worked half a mile in 47.5 seconds [on Tuesday] morning. He's pretty well and he pulled up well. He won't be doing any more fast work before Saturday. He's drawn a good alley so I'm looking at him running very well."
Hyland has turned to Blake Shinn for the ride on Lizard Island after he partnered the Sebring colt to second place in the Exford Plate at Flemington last month.
"Dwayne Dunn rode him at Pakenham, but he's tied up with the Hawkes' so Blake was the next choice," Hyland said. "I didn't care who I had as long as I had one of them and Blake is riding well."
If Lizard Island, quoted at $26, can cause a shock in the Caulfield Guineas it will be 46 years since Hyland scored his first triumph in the race aboard Vain.
Hyland's wife Maree still retains a share in the horse, which is raced by breeder-owner Robert Anderson who celebrated his first major winner when Bonaria saluted in the Myer Classic at Flemington last spring.
