RACHAEL Murray and Paul Perry might have wrapped up Hunter and North West Racing Association jockey and trainer premierships, respectively, but Sunday’s final HNWRA meeting of the season gives four jockeys the chance of claiming the apprentices premiership.
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Vad Bolozhinskyi (20), Rachel King (19), Jodi Worley (18) and Jackson Murphy (17) are just four wins apart entering the final meeting of the season.
Bolozhinskyi is favoured to hang on and at this stage has just the one ride, Josie Mae in the FSDP 3YO maiden Showcase Handicap (1200m).
Sydney-based King doesn’t have a ride and cannot progress while Worley has five rides at present.
She will partner Skill Set (race one), Frenetic Star (race three), Bonnie Sare (race four), Newcastle Dancer (race six) and Super Cooper (race eight) at this stage while Jackson Murphy has three bookings – Press Reset (race one), Our Minaan (race five) and Eat The Rich (race six).
The apprentice premiership adds extra lustre to an eight-race Showcase meeting dispensing $240,000 in prize money and which is also being promoted as a family day by the Tamworth Jockey Club, said TJC’s new general manager Kay Jeffrey.
Jeffrey is delighted with the support for the meeting. It attracted 176 nominations this week and after acceptances this morning, could have as many as 119 runners on Sunday.
“The Showcase [$30,000 per race] meetings are a great incentive for country racing,” Jeffrey said.
“We have great fields and have very good local support, as well as [support] from trainers from all over. It’s also a family day for us and we will have markets stalls as well, so there will be something for everyone. It is something a bit different but we are trying something a bit different to promote racing.”
Tamworth trainer Sue Grills said all eight races will be strong. She will have five runners on her home track. “It will be a busy day for us,” Grills said. “We’ve been travelling a lot of miles lately so it is great to be back at home.”
She won at Moree last week with Onya Rosie and is currently third on the HNWRA trainers premiership with 27 wins. Perry leads on 45 and Kris Lees is second on 37.
Meanwhile, Cut The Mustard can continue Melanie O’Gorman’s winning run at Tamworth when the three-year-old daughter of Arlington lines up in the $30,000 tab.com.au Benchmark 60 Showcase Handicap (1600m).
The three-year-old filly is coming off a last-start win at Gunnedah and chases a third career win at her ninth start for her Tamworth owners, John Smythe and Terry Burke. O’Gorman is coming off one of her best wins, with Suncraze capturing last Saturday’s Highway Handicap at Randwick.
Suncraze had previously run six consecutive seconds for O’Gorman and owner Anthony Gow-Gates. O’Gorman told RacingNSW she knew Suncraze “had the ability, and everybody could see that.”
“He’s just been a very tricky horse as he doesn’t have a lot of confidence,” she said.
