Hugh Bowman moved into the nineties with a winner at Canterbury on Wednesday but admitted time was running out for him to reach a century before season’s end.
Victory to Bowman aboard the Guy Walter-trained Dehere Hunter in the Panasonic Specialist Air Network Handicap (1250m) took the premiership-leading jockey to 90-1/2 Sydney wins for the season with six meetings left.
Bowman’s best season tally in Sydney has been 98 when he claimed his first premiership in the 2008/09 season.
He hasn’t given up on reaching the milestone but when asked if he could still get there, he said: “I doubt it.”
It would take a couple of big days for Bowman who has a full book of eight rides at Warwick Farm on Saturday including Tromso in the Listed Winter Stakes.
Dehere Hunter brought up the first leg of a winning double for Walter who ended the day with victory by Our Barney in the Panasonic Home Ducted Air Conditioning Handicap (1900m).
“Our Barney is a favourite around the stable. He’s a lovely horse and very gutsy on raceday so we’re very happy,” Walter said.
“And Dehere Hunter has been down at the Goulburn stable for the past two weeks so I’m very happy he won today on what was probably unsuitable ground.”
The most impressive winner on the Canterbury program came from two-year-old filly Seaside who took out the Bowermans Office Furniture Handicap by 4-1/2 lengths in her third race start.
Winning jockey Peter Robl believes the daughter of Redoute’s Choice can progress to stakes class.
“She’s a very nice filly and is going to win better races than a midweeker at Canterbury,” Robl said.
“She treated them with contempt today.”
Seaside is prepared by Peter Snowden for Sheikh Mohammed and stable foreman Brad Widdup said the filly was likely to get her chance in stakes company in the near future.
“I’m sure Peter will have something in the back of his mind,” Widdup said.
Blake Shinn took riding honours with a winning double aboard Umatain in the opening race and Avadale in the ATC Season Pass-Available Now Handicap (1100m).
