By Neil Evans
Fresh from a stunning five winners at Muswellbrook on Friday, the “Raging Bull” is preparing to cut loose again at Monday’s feature Taree meeting.
Aaron Bullock, the heavyweight hoop who has battled weight problems during his career, remains one of the strongest and best strike-rate jockeys in Australasia.
And while he keeps nearly all his saddle duties to the provincial and country coastal venues of NSW, he’s long been considered worthy of any riding room across the nation.
Bullock’s five winners at the ’brook last Friday – Remember Jack, Depth That Varies, Royal Charge, Seahaven and Jumeirah Beach – took his tally to 11 winners from his last 40-odd rides. It’s a win rate of around 27 percent, keeping in mind too he’s been placed a further 15 times in that same period across provincial and country venues.
The hoop, who once quietly told me his biggest concern in a race was “not to get stuck behind a slow one”, ventures to the Mid North Coast eying off a potential treble from five rides.
He jumps aboard ex-Victorian mare Elarski who will be a big market watch, resuming in her first run for the Kris Lees stable in a very winnable Benchmark 58 Hcp for the girls over 1250m.
A four-year-old daughter of Hallowed Crown, Elarski has been given two easy trials since switching from the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace yard where she was competitive up to BM 64 grade.
Bullock then partners improving three-year-old Osterberg for the same stable in a Maiden Hcp over 1300m, before taking aim with progressive three-year-old Lady Chartwell third-up in a similar branded race for the fillies and mares over the same distance.
With his accepted ride aboard Johnny Dash likely to be shelved, with the Queensland-based three-year-old running instead at Sunday’s Newcastle meeting, Bullock will cap the day aboard capable four-year-old sprinter Buck Pharoah who looks primed fourth-up in a Benchmark 66 Hcp over 1000m.
Supplied by Racing NSW
Full form and race replays available at racingnsw.com.au.
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