News Article

Apprentice race boasts rising stars

14 / 03 / 2012 Article by: Editor
Ibrahim Gundogdo - represents Victoria in the National Apprentice Jockeys Series in Launceston tonight
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SOME of Australia’s most talented young riders will form part of a contingent of apprentices to contest the National Apprentice Jockeys Series at The TOTE Racing Centre in Launceston tonight.

Ibrahim Gundogdo and Damien Lane are probably the best known of the six visiting apprentices but given the performances of the other three in their respective states of late they too will soon be very recognisable names in the near future.

Also competing in the apprentices race tonight (race 4) are South Australia’s Krystal Bishop, Alisha Taylor fro Queensland, Alison Threadwell from NSW while the Northern territory will be represented by Kirk Manoukian.

Jacques Luxe is Tasmania’s official representative but other Tasmanian riders make up the field that includes Bulent Muchu, Rasit Yetimova and Georgie Catania while Victorian apprentice Rebecca Williams also has a ride in the race but she is a regular visitor to the state and has no representative role.

Threadwell, 28,will partner Wide Open Spaces for the Charlie Goggin-Luella Meaburn stable. She has ridden 111 provincial winners and has notched one metropolitan win with her biggest wins coming in the 2010 Tamworth Cup and the Taree Cup last year.

Bishop, 19, takes the sit on the John Luttrell-trained Pengalas Gee Gee that is given a rough chance on exposed form.

Bishop has only been riding for 18 months but she already has 22 country wins and 13 on the provincials as well as two metropolitan winners. She was judges the best first-year apprentice at the SA academy last year.

Taylor, who has just turned 21, will partner outsider Royal Destination. She is one of the leading riders in the Rockhampton region where she has ridden most of her 111 winners. She is apprenticed to her father but she is currently on loan to top Caulfield trainer Peter Moody.

Manoukian, 28, is a former Victorian now living in Alice Springs and he will take the sit aboard Roselands that is resuming from a spell and has good first-up form.

Manoukian is a late starter as he was a full-time credit analyst until he decided to become an apprentice in 2010 riding on King island. He transferred to Alice Springs on loan and liked it so much he decided to stay. he has ridden 19 winners from limited opportunities.

Gundogdo, 23, is one of Victoria’s most successful riders. Of his 202 carer wins 52 have been on metropolitan tracks. He was drawn to ride Rialto John but with that horse scratched he moves onto first emergency Beautiful Buns that is a last-start winner on the track on Launceston Cup day and could start on of the favourites.

Lane, 18, will ride the Glenn Stevenson-trained Arnika that should be ready to hit top form.

Lane has been riding with much success in Victoria of late but he will represent his home state of Western Australia. He is now indentured to top Victorian training combination of Matthew Ellerton and Simon Zahra. Lane has 172 career wins including five on Melbourne metropolitan tracks this season.

Luxe, who hails from Mauritius, will partner We Say for his master. Luxe has been apprenticed to Spreyton trainer Vicki Rhind for about a year and in that time he has gone from strength to strength.

Muchu is o the likely favourite Hold On To Your Hat from the Mark Everett stable.

The apprentices race is one of the best and most open on the nine-event card.

The first heat in the series was held at Moonee Valley earlier this month with further heats to be held at Doomben (Qld), Ascot (WA), Canterbury (NSW), Morphettville (SA) and Alice Springs (NT).

The state whose rider accumulates the most points is declared the winner.