APPRENTICE William Stanley is hoping “lightning” can strike twice at Royal
Randwick on Saturday.
The 21-year-old, who now calls Newcastle home after transferring to Kris Lees on loan from Orange trainer Alison Smith a few months ago, will ride Super Bright for Newcastle trainer Nathan Doyle in the Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap (1100m).
He is fully aware Doyle provided Stanley’s “stablemate”, fellow apprentice Ben Osmond, with his maiden city winner, $21 chance Cheerful Legend in a Benchmark 72 Handicap (1250m) on the Kensington track in August 2023, as a 3kg claimer.
“It would be great if I could do the same and win on Nathan’s horse on Saturday,” Stanley said this morning.
“Super Bright ran well when Ben rode her first-up at Canterbury last month and she was placed. She has drawn nicely on Saturday, and I’m looking forward to riding her. I did have an initial booking for one of Kris’ horses at Kembla Grange, but the boss was happy for
me to go to town, and I appreciate his support.”
Stanley has had only two previous city bookings – both in TAB Highway Handicaps at Rosehill Gardens on outsiders - when based at Orange.
Whereas Osmond’s city breakthrough came at double figures on former Victorian Cheerful Legend, six-year-old mare Super Bright was an $8 chance this morning with TAB.com.au.
Three of her five career victories have been in town; the first of them in another Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap (1200m) at Randwick in August 2023 when ridden by another former Lees’ apprentice Dylan Gibbons.
Stanley’s 3kg city claim will lessen Super Bright’s weight to 57.5kg, and there are already two
withdrawals from the race, reducing the field to 12.
Whilst Osmond will be a rival partnering topweight and $3.30 favorite Bundeena, Stanley has a second opportunity to break through in town later in the afternoon.
Scone trainer Cameron Crockett has booked him for Dances With Hooves, the mare on whom he rode his first provincial winner at Newcastle on December 14.
He partners her in the Benchmark 72 Handicap (1600m) where, unlike Super Bright, she has drawn awkwardly, though a host of scratchings have greatly reduced the number of starters.
Since scoring on Dances With Hooves, Stanley has ridden winners on the Beaumont track (Hunter Bred) on December 19, Taree (Island Legend) on December 22, and Port Macquarie (Rockbarton Flash) on December 29.
Those winners boosted his season’s tally to 13, and career number to 87.
Wyong apprentice Anna Roper, who returned to the city winning list at Randwick on Boxing Day on Gosford mare Audette and then rode a maiden four-timer at Port Macquarie last Sunday, has six Randwick bookings.
She partners Norton Road for Wyong trainer Rod Bailey, Princess Mary (Jeremy Sylvester), Desiah (Ciaron Maher), Much Much Better (fellow Wyong trainer Sara Ryan), Go Troppo (David Pfieffer), and South Of India for Kembla Grange trainer Ross McConville. Story by John Curtis, 2 January, 2025. Pics Bradley Photos.
Comments