Top apprentice hoping De Joker comes up trumps at Bathurst

Top apprentice Braith Nock will make an appearance at Bathurst on Tuesday with the jockey having two key rides on the seven-race card. Nock was last season’s premier apprentice in Sydney and is running second in this year’s race behind Siena Grima. Nock has no claim to use on country tracks, but that hasn’t stopped Warwick Farm trainer Jarrod Austin from booking him to partner Smichov in the Bathurst AG, Horse And Pet Class 1 Handicap (1400m).

Smichov was placed in two of his first three starts before resuming from a spell this campaign with a victory at Bathurst when scoring narrowly. He followed that up with a sixth at Newcastle. Nock’s other ride is on the Angus Stewart-trained De Joker in the Dusty Hooves Media Country Boosted Benchmark 58 Handicap (1300m).

De Joker finished second at Dubbo when resuming from a spell before scoring an easy win at Bathurst when leading to score by 6.65 lengths two starts ago. He finished third at Dubbo when last produced, beaten less than a length.

Hawkesbury trainer Brad Widdup will be out to continue his good form when Last Tour contests the John Kinghorn Memorial Maiden Plate (1400m) with 1.5kg claiming apprentice Leeshelle Small in the saddle. Widdup enjoyed success on Saturday when Satono Jasmine won at Randwick and Somerford scored at Kembla Grange.

Last Tour has only been placed in one of seven starts, but ran well enough when a last-start fourth at Goulburn behind Peace Bird. Small has one other ride at Bathurst on the Natalie Pearce-trained News Bound in the Sheds N Homes Bathurst Benchmark 66 Handicap (1100m). Warwick Farm conditioner Gary Portelli will also have representation at Bathurst with two runners going around for the stable, with jockey Robyn Freeman to ride both.

Portelli will have recent barrier trial winner and three-time placegetter The Champion lining up in the opening event of the day in which it will clash with Last Tour, while he will also start Stormfield in the same event that News Bound will contest. Supplied by Racing NSW. You have reached your maximum number of saved items.

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