Brenton Avdulla will sit idly by during more than half the races at Randwick this weekend, opening up further opportunities for Hugh Bowman to extend his premiership lead.
Avdulla won’t be needed until race five after he was named for just five rides on the nine-race program on Saturday before finding out his mount in race two, Murwillumbah-trained Care To Think, is headed to Doomben instead.
“Best ride was scratched,” Avdulla tweeted, along with a facepalm emoji.
Argent D’or, the third favourite in race five, is now likely Avdulla’s leading chance.
Avdulla sits just half-a-win behind three-time Sydney jockeys’ premiership winner Bowman with three meetings remaining.
While Bowman’s horse in race two was also scratched on Friday morning, three of his seven remaining rides – Spending to Win (race five), Felines (race seven) and Kings of Leon (race eight) – head the TAB markets.
“Without nailing one (as my best ride), they’re three very good chances,” Bowman told Sky Sports Radio.
Neither Avdulla nor Bowman were able to chalk up a win at Warwick Farm on Wednesday when the former returned from an eight-day careless riding suspension.
Earlier in the week, Avdulla expressed solidarity with Beau Mertens, who is locked in a battle with Craig Williams for the Melbourne premiership.
“Hoping both of us can upstage the champion riders with a bit of luck… All the best, bra,” he told Mertens.
