Apprentice Tom Sadler will have his first metropolitan ride at Caulfield on Wednesday aboard the Allan Williams-trained Dane The Rave.
Sadler, who turns 17 on December 27, has ridden 15 winners on the country and provincial circuits since his first race ride in August.
Son of and apprenticed to Flemington trainer John Sadler, Tom had one of his biggest thrills when he landed his first winner for his father and Malua Racing aboard Bondarchuk at last month’s Ballarat Cup meeting.
“He’s going okay,” John Sadler said.
“The biggest problem is going to be weight. So hopefully he’ll get a couple of years of riding out of it.
“We just want him to squeeze as much out of it as he can.
“He’s really looking forward to his first city ride on Wednesday.”
Dane The Rave is topweight in the Schweppes Hcp (1440m) and will jump from barrier one in what is a 10-horse field after the scratching of El Supremo.
The Danehill Dancer seven-year-old was beaten less than two lengths when a second-up fourth to the in-form Freereturn over 1200m at Moonee Valley on November 11.
The gelding has won seven of his 52 starts, the last three at Sandown.
His last two wins were on the Hillside circuit, over 1400m last December and 1500m two starts later in January.
Meanwhile, jockey Danny Adam will be trying to keep his unbeaten record in Melbourne this season intact when he rides the Colin and Cindy Alderson-trained Bartholemew in the Design To Print Hcp (2000m).
Adam has had only two metropolitan rides this season for as many wins, both aboard the Chris Parry-trained Charlottes Mint.
Adam won on the mare at Sandown on November 23, a victory that kick-started a run that has seen him ride seven winners from his past 13 rides the latest of which was Charlottes Mint who came from last to score at Moonee Valley on Sunday.
Bartholemew, a half-brother to Group One-placed We’re Gonna Rock, is by 2005 Caulfield Guineas winner God’s Own.
Named after God’s Own’s trainer Bart Cummings, Bartholemew has raced just twice and after finishing seventh of eight to Affetto in a 1400m Ballarat three-year-old maiden on debut last month improved sharply to win a similar race over 1500m at Sale on December 7.
The Caulfield track is rated dead (4) and the rail is out 14 metres.
AAP TURF
