Firing Apprentices is just about the only thing worth getting up for, on a Monday morning. Which young riders have risen, in our estimation, over the last 7 days?
Hard-Hitting Harry’s Triple Haul
Harry Bannister sounds like the kind of tough 1970s TV cop that was always having problems with his ex-wife, but this talented young jockey looks like he’ll be given the opportunity to forge many new partnerships.
On Monday, he picked up a double at Kempton – first with odds-on Maid Of Milan and then with the Golan-sired gelding Gowanauthat (8/1), who made all. Bannister was back on the case at Stratford on Friday, cuffing the spoils on Mick Easterby’s Ganbei (15/2).
Monday also brought victories for Edward Greatrex (Solveig’s Song, 11/2), David Splaine (Consharon Boy, 2/1), Kieran Shoemark (Blakeney Point, 5/2), John Barry (Hard Station, 4/1) and Aine O’Connor (Product Of Love, 3/1).
Richardson On A Roll
Rachel Richardson showed again last week that she’s a Rolls Royce of a young jockey, picking up a brace of victories that had punters purring. On Tuesday, she guided Duke Of Yorkshire to a win in the Summer Festival Apprentice Handicap. She also won a competitive handicap, on Richard Fahey’s Frap at Carlisle on Friday, where her patient tactics paid dividends and She’s Electric was caught in the final few strides.
Other Tuesday winners included George Wood (Vivo Per Lei, 12/1) and you will have made a huge profit if you’ve backed his mounts in every race this season, so far. Victories also came for Callum Shepherd (Coto, 5/1), Gary Halpin (Elusive In Paris, 3/1) and Tabitha Worsley (Occasionally Yours, 9/1).
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Doyle Delight For Punters
On Wednesday, apprentices really began running amok. Joe Doyle grabbed a 33/1 winner on Lady Cordie, before notching in the very-next race at Ayr on Al Khan (11/4). Another win came aboard Briyouni (11/4, Nottingham, Sunday) and you will be almost 30 points ahead if you’ve backed him in every race this season. Joyous jockeyship!
The Marq Of A Champion
Tom Marquand’s claim is becoming almost laughable, yet all 4 of his winners came at long odds. Wednesday triumph at Bath (Stynes, 6/1) opened the floodgates and Wiley Post (7/1, Goodwood), Oh This Is Us (9/2, Goodwood – with almost 65 grand going to winning connections!) and Out Of The Dark (16/1, again at Goodwood) showed just how glorious Richard Hannon’s young prodigy is.
Harry Cobden already has a batch of big-priced winners, in this campaign. He was at it again on Wednesday, this time with Miss Tenacious (14/1, Warwick), before piloting French runner Brody Bleu (9/4) to victory at Worcester next time out.
You’ll find out exactly what we think of Megan Nicholls’ prospects, this week on the blog. On Wednesday, she rode her 2nd 25/1 winner of the season. Sureness stayed on strongly, despite edging right and the rank-outsider in the race won with something in hand.
Max Power
Max Kendrick hasn’t been given too many opportunities, yet this season, but that doesn’t look like holding him back. A 12/1 winner on top of Oski (12/1), at Southwell on Wednesday, was followed by a 10-length defeat of Deliveringpromises on First Drift (4/9) at Worcester on Thursday.
Back Murphy’s Mounts, Or Just Get Bittter
Michael Murphy will have put smart punters on alert, with 3 consecutive wins last week – all at juicy prices. Wednesday’s victory on Battaash (14/1, Bath), laid down a marker and was followed by Arcamist (7/1, Ripon) and Quench Dolly (8/1, Goodwood). With 8 wins, in just 49 attempts, he’s now showing a level stakes profit of almost 25 points!
Wednesday’s other winning apprentices were Robbie Dolan on Millefiori (4/1, Ayr), Emma Todd on French Seventyfive (6/1, Southwell) and Kevin Dowling aboard The Tourard Man (5/2, Warwick). Alan King must be locking Dowling up in the stable at night, with the Shantou gelding, as his only two seasonal outings have been with the 10-year-old and both have resulted in wins.
More Jolly Hollie Days
Hollie Doyle was hot to trot again, with a brace of big-priced victories – the first of which came at Lingfield on Thursday (Boycie, 8/1). That win was immediately followed by an apprentice handicap success with the Cadeaux Genereux mare Little Choosey (15/2, Wolverhampton). She’s already been first past the post on 6 occasions, this term.
Marc Monaghan repaid the faith shown in him by Ian Williams, winning on Bamako Du Chatelet twice at Lingfield (2/1 and Evs). Just 48-hours separated the victories!
Thursday’s other winning apprentices were Georgia Cox (Pour La Victoire, Goodwood, 9/1), Rachael Blackmore (Oisin James, Clonmel, 9/2), Ben Robinson (Always Resolute, Ripon, 1/2), Aaron Jones (Flying Fantasy, Lingfield, 11/2), Nathan Evans (Curzon Line, Ripon, 4/1), Ambrose McCurtin (Anna Holty, Clonmel, 11/1), Keith Cogley (Gunner Mcgregor, Clonmel, 12/1) and Page Fuller (Carrigkerry, Worcester, 14/1).
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Mac On The Attack
Apprentices were firing again, on Friday and none more so than Martin McIntyre who partnered Teresa Clark’s Our Chief (28/1, Stratford). The brilliant Gemma Tutty rode Under Approval to a 2.5-length defeat of Compton River (Catterick, 20/1), boosting her profile even further. Gary Mahon also performed well, winning with Masterpaver (7/4, Haydock) on Friday and Tomily (2/5, Chepstow, Saturday).
Other winners included David Noonan (Sir Dylan, Stratford, 10/1), Paddy Kennedy (Quelle Belle Vie, 6/1, Downpatrick), Damien Skehan (Kilna Shane, Downpatrick, 7/2), Luke McGuinness (The Storyteller, Downpatrick, 1/2), Robbie Downey (Falcao, Cork, 8/1), Dean Peters (Decade Player, Stratford, 11/4) and Claire Hart (Penmore Hill, 2/1, Stratford).
Weekend Warriors
For most apprentices, just getting a ride on a Saturday is difficult enough so special congratulations go to those who also bagged a winner. Hats off to Noel Garbutt (Gilmer, Chepstow, 11/1), Philip Prince (Sir Billy Wright, Chepstow, 7/1), Daniel Muscutt (Urban Space, Chepstow, 3/1), Mitch Godwin (Pettochside, Goodwood, 7/4), George Downing (Innoko, Chepstow, 7/2) and Killian Leonard (Repeater, Curragh, 14/1).
Cool Story, Bro!
With most apprentices nursing alcopop hangovers, on Sunday, it was left to stoic trooper Brodie Hampson to maintain a degree of honour amongst fledgling jockeys. She left Fakenham with a fantastic double in her back-pocket, following-up a win on Fort George (17/2) with victory aboard Lee Side Lady (13/8).
Her combination of riding prowess and devotion to duty deserve special recognition and (while others may have been even better friends to punters) she’s our Firing Apprentice of the week!
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We’re Back, Next Monday
Don’t forget to bookmark the RaceBets’ Blog homepage and check back next Monday, to see which young whippersnappers have been whooping it up on the track! Firing Apprentices is very-much in its infancy, but it’s already being read by scores of jockeys, trainers and industry bigwigs.
The mainstream media seems content to ignore the terrific achievements of apprentice jockeys, despite this season’s results already pointing to a vintage harvest. If we’ve featured you, or one of your friends, get the word out there by tweeting a link or liking the article on Facebook. Don’t let hard-won victories pass by, without the world knowing about them!
Some of the apprentices, featured in today’s edition, will be winning Group 1 encounters a few short years from now and you read about them first on the RaceBets blog!
