By Craig Kerry
After a slow month, Zac Wadick knows opportunities to extend his lead over the other Sydney apprentices premiership contenders will get even harder in the autumn carnival.
So the 22-year-old hopes the likes of Magnatear, Queen Of The Mile and Noble Conqueror can help kick-start a “purple patch” on Saturday at Randwick.
Apprentice Zac Wadick after winning on Mickey’s Medal, which he could ride again on Saturday.Credit: Getty Images
Wadick has been stuck on 16 metropolitan winners this season since December 28 and still trails two-time champion Zac Lloyd by five in the apprentices title. Lloyd came out of his time in late November, racking up 21 wins to give the remaining apprentices something to chase.
Approaching the halfway mark, Wadick leads the race ahead of Ben Osmond (13) and Molly Bourke (12).
Wadick, who is apprenticed to Hawkesbury trainer Brad Widdup, hopes to end a run of outs in town on Saturday.
“It’s up and down. It’s just hard to stay consistent in town, it’s so competitive,” Wadick said.
“I feel like I’m riding really well. The opportunities, they are just coming and going at the moment.
“There’s been an influx of European riders, and they have their stables that they are allocated to, so it just shuffles things around. Horses that you might be on, you don’t end up on, so it’s just been a bit slow, but hopefully things can pick back up.”
Ironically, the manager helping him find rides is Lloyd’s father and agent, Jeff.
“I said to Jeff the other day, if I can’t run him down, I don’t deserve to win it,” Wadick said.
“Hopefully I can get a little purple patch before the autumn because I know then it will die down, then hopefully finish off strong in the winter and come out on top.”
Zac Wadick wins on Inquiring Minds, left, at Randwick on December 28.Credit: Getty Images
Magnatear shapes as one of Wadick’s best hopes at Randwick. The Richard and Will Freedman-trained gelding won the Midway Handicap at Wyong last start, and was second the run before to Emmadella. The five-year-old again tackles benchmark 72 Midway grade over the mile, and Wadick’s two-kilogram claim means he stays on 58kg. He was a $5.50 Sportsbet favourite from gate three.
“He beat me by not much last start on Sara Ryan’s horse, Aix En Provence,” Wadick said.
“I thought it was a good win. I didn’t expect to get on it, but it’s gone up in weight again and I’m glad I’m on it.”
Ash Morgan swaps with Wadick to ride Aix En Provence in the rematch.
Wadick is again aboard Michael Freedman-trained Queen Of The Mile ($10), which was two-lengths fourth behind Bjorn Baker-trained Bonita Queen two weeks ago at Wyong over 1100m. They are set to clash over 1200m in the same grade on Saturday in the seventh. Bonita Queen was a $2.70 favourite.
“She won really well when I was on it at Canterbury first up,” Wadick said of Queen Of The Mile.
“It just spotted the favourite too much ground last start. You spot Bonita Queen four, five lengths at Wyong, she is going to be hard to run down. Hopefully on an even surface in town, I can be a bit closer because it could be the horse to beat again.”
It was a similar story for Chris Waller-trained Noble Conqueror ($11), which was in the eighth, a benchmark 78 over 1400m. It was fifth last start, after a first-up win at Randwick with Wadick aboard on Boxing Day.
“It went really well at Wyong, it was back last on the fence around there, which is one of the worst spots to be there,” he said.
“But it was really good late and I mentioned to them that if we get it to one of the main city tracks, it should run well.”
He also rides Able Willie ($23) for Waller in the last, Announcing ($41) for Danielle Seib in the Highway Handicap and potentially Mickey’s Medal ($51) for Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald in the sixth. However, Mickey’s Medal, which gave Wadick his first city winner, could instead race on the Sunshine Coast.
Whatever the results on Saturday and beyond, Wadick is determined to make it as a jockey. It’s an ambition that started from a young age working with his father, Adam, a former jockey, trainer and horse breaker at Warwick Farm.
“From the time I can remember until 13, 14, I was always around horses and helping,” he said.
“Then when I turned 15, I could start riding trackwork. I left school when I was 16 and haven’t looked back. It’s been six years and I’ve just been flat out, trying to get better.
“It’s probably one of the hardest riding districts to be in, so whatever I can get, I’ll take.”
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