Top apprentice Brayden Gaerth lands Group ride

Fresh from a Belmont Saturday double and his first $100,000 win, in-form apprentice jockey, Brayden Gaerth, is hopeful further race day success can follow after securing a top ride in the first feature race of the Belmont season on Saturday.

Brayden Gaerth skillfully guided Camera Action to victory in the Racing WA-Provincial Championship Series Final (1400m) last weekend and has been given a wonderful opportunity of claiming the biggest win of his career in the Group 3 Belmont Sprint (1400m).

Gaerth, who will come out of his time as an apprentice soon, rides Jason Miller’s classy mare Admiration Express, who is racing first up following her sensational second to Light Infantry Man in the Group 1 Northerly Stakes (1800m) last December.

With regular jockey, Lucy Fiore, partnering recent Northam Stakes (1300m) winner West Star in the Belmont Sprint, Miller said he had no hesitation in offering Gaerth the opportunity of riding Admiration Express in a feature race.

“I’m happy to put him on,” Miller said to Racing WA.

“His confidence is high and he does a lot of work with the stable.

“He’s doing a good job and works hard behind the scenes as well.

“It’s good to give him an opportunity, he’s riding well.”

Admiration Express showed above average ability as a three-year-old with a win in the Group 3 Champion Fillies Stakes (1600m).

Last campaign she won the Coolgardie Cup (1760m), three months before running out of her skin in the Northerly Stakes.

After two Lark Hill warm up trials, Admiration Express kicks off the first leg of her winter campaign in the Belmont Sprint.

The Hyperion Stakes (1600m) and Strickland Stakes (2000m) are also Group 3 races that are being targeted by Miller.

“She’s done really well since the trials and I can’t fault her,” Miller said.

“She’s had a good break and has come back good.

“She might be vulnerable first up at 1400m, but you never write off good horses.”

The Hyperion Stakes is run on June 7 and the Strickland Stakes a fortnight later.

Miller said Fiore will link up with Admiration Express again in those two races.

Meanwhile, Miller is looking forward to Admire The Girl extending her winning ways at Belmont on Wednesday.

The three-year-old filly is unbeaten this campaign, winning first up at Pinjarra and backing up at Ascot.

With William Pike aboard, she contests the Kalgoorlie-Boulder Reunion Handicap (1200m).

‘I can’t fault her,” Miller said.

“She’s going well, but there are some nice ones in it.

“Nickleplay and Simon Miller’s Magnique look hard to beat.”