Gun Apprentice About To Get Taste Of Life In Big League

Sydney Morning Herald

Saturday December 8, 2007

Craig Young

LEADING Northern Rivers apprentice Joshua Jones is set to join the Randwick stable of Anthony Cummings. The 16-year-old is now with Ballina trainer Stephen Lee and in just over a year of riding has landed 101 winners.

Jones has three rides at Rosehill today, including the Cummings-trained Natural Man in race seven. Jones will also ride Ready To Impress in a maiden and Inflated Ego, which has won his past four starts at Coffs Harbour, in the final race.

Jones was to have ridden at the Coffs Harbour meeting yesterday but Lee felt the best option was for him to ride at the Randwick barrier trials. "Joshua is a good young lad and he can ride," Lee said. "He'll probably go to Anthony for three months and we'll work it out from there."

O'SHEA'S READY: The Randwick stable of John O'Shea has been restocked. O'Shea has 50 horses in work and remains hopeful Interfere will be his first runner since equine influenza broke out in August.

The controversial Interfere is down to run in today's Daily Press Printing & Distribution Handicap at Rosehill. "I'm a bit worried about the track, and if it comes up between slow and dead she'll run," O'Shea said yesterday. "She is not a horse that needs a lot of work, she hasn't barrier trialled, but she has had a couple of jump-outs. I'm gradually building up the workload of my horses and I should start to have a steady stream of runners."

HOME RUN: Caulfield trainer Robert Smerdon was an interested observer of the Hong Kong racing scene at Happy Valley on Wednesday night but today his attention will turn to his home track.

Smerdon will send around promising galloper Anavalanche in the Navy Seal Handicap along with stablemate Cockpit. "Anavalanche is a nice horse on the way up," he said. "The debut win was very good and then the second start when placed at Moonee Valley was a sound effort, as well. I'm expecting a big run on Saturday."

Corey Brown has been booked to ride Anavalanche while apprentice Sebastian Murphy will partner Cockpit. Murphy will also ride Message Bank for Smerdon in the Redelva Handicap and the trainer has First Drinks down to run in the Millefleurs Handicap. "Message Bank showed a glimpse of his best form last start and is down in grade while First Drinks is racing well and should run another honest race," Smerdon said.

DUBBO RE-OPENS: Dubbo Turf Club and race players out west had good news this week with the biggest training and racing track in the central districts having a quarantine ban lifted.

"Our gates are finally open after nine weeks of lockdown and to say it is a relief is an understatement," DTC secretary-manager Troy Harley said on Thursday. "There are still restrictions in place regarding horse movement in the region but at least now the trainers have the opportunity to apply for permits to move horses to spelling paddocks and bring others into work."

Racing will resume at Dubbo over Easter.

SALES RESUME: The historic Newmarket complex of William Inglis & Son yesterday conducted the first NSW thoroughbred sale since equine influenza broke out in August, while owners with runners at Rosehill today will be allowed into the mounting yard.

"It is a welcome relaxation of protocols with owners allowed in," Racing NSW chief steward Ray Murrihy said. "It will be the first time they've been allowed in since EI broke out. Trainers, jockeys and designated officials will still be part of a red zone."

The Inglis Christmas Sale was held under strict biosecurity protocols, with three lots breaking the $100,000 barrier.

The last horse through the ring was a colt by Magic Albert which brought a sale-high $125,000 with the two-year-old knocked down to trainer on the move Tracey Bartley.

Due to equine flu only 88 lots were sold, down on the 331 last year, with yesterday's average $11,145, up from $9677.

© 2007 Sydney Morning Herald

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