Hugh Bowman is the short-priced favourite to collect the Sydney jockeys’ premiership as he heads into the final metropolitan meeting of the season at Canterbury with a 2-1/2 win lead.
In a competition that has gone right down to the wire, Bowman vaulted ahead of rivals James McDonald and Blake Shinn with a four-winner haul at Warwick Farm a week ago.
He retained his spot with a double at Rosehill on Saturday and is expected to clinch his third Sydney jockeys’ title at Canterbury.
Bowman has a full book of seven rides on Wednesday including Raido and Marple Miss for Kris Lees, the trainer he combined with to land two winners at Rosehill.
McDonald has four mounts including Nazca for Godolphin in the sixth race and the Gary Portelli-trained Russett in the McGrath Estate Agents Plate.
Shinn’s four rides are headed by the John Sargent-trained first starter I’ll Take The Jag, a recent barrier trial winner.
McDonald’s start to the new season will be interrupted by a suspension out of Tuesday’s meeting at Wyong where he weighed in half a kilogram overweight on second-placed Heshima.
It means McDonald will miss the Group Two Missile Stakes meeting on August 8.
Chris Waller had the Sydney trainers’ title sewn up months ago but will officially claim his fifth successive crown after Wednesday’s meeting, while Winona Costin will finish the season as leading apprentice.
The new season will open at Rosehill on Saturday with the Listed Winter Challenge the feature race.
