No-one is riding better in Sydney than Brenton Avdulla and Matthew Smith is hoping he can be the next trainer to cash in on the jockey’s growing popularity.
Avdulla’s Rosehill book of eight rides includes the mount on the Smith-trained Zin Zan Eddie, favourite to win the Sportsyear Diary Handicap on Saturday.
In two rides on Zin Zan Eddie, Avdulla has finished second both times.
But such is the impressive nature of Avdulla’s winning streak, Smith says he won’t be telling the jockey how to do his job on the $3.20 favourite.
“The way Brenton is riding it’s now a case of you just leaving it to him because you know he’s done his homework. It’s great,” Smith said.
“He’s doing his form, he’s confident.”
Avdulla brought up his 600th winner at Canterbury last Friday night and less than 24 hours later he won the Group Two Villiers Stakes on Happy Clapper for Pat Webster with a ride that confirmed his confidence is sky high.
Smith said Zin Zan Eddie had something in common with his rider.
“He’s in good shape and he’s in great form,” Smith said.
The chestnut stays at 1400m after being beaten a head at Randwick two weeks ago with Avdulla on board for the first time in almost three years.
It was a late pick-up ride at the expense of Jay Ford who was among five jockeys injured in a multiple fall that marred the Mudgee Cup the day before.
Zin Zan Eddie is the second of Smith’s two Rosehill runners with Faraway Town completing her Magic Millions preparations in the Schweppes Plate with another in-form jockey, Jason Collett, to ride.
“We’ve definitely got the right lads on … we might have a bit of luck this week,” Smith said.
Avdulla, who leads the NSW premiership with 56 winners, takes over from apprentice Samantha Clenton on Clearly Innocent in the TAB Highway Handicap.
Clearly Innocent is already one of the best-backed Rosehill runners after having no luck first-up at Randwick.
