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By Ray Hickson

A flurry of success through the summer and early autumn has put Braith Nock in a position to make a play for the champion apprentice title this season and it’s something he feels he has to chase.

The 23-year-old has emerged as a serious contender for the title he was originally set to target in the 2025/26 season with 20 winners from 88 rides in town for an impressive 22.70 per cent strike rate.

“I’ve knocked quite a few wins off in a short period of time,’’ Nock said.

“It’s definitely within striking distance now so we’ll go with it and see what we can do.

“It wasn’t necessarily an aim, if anything it was next season, but we’re quite close so we might as well try to go for both of them.”

Braith Nock wins on Written Scandal at Gosford (Pic: Bradley Photos).

Nock has returned to the Brett Cavanough stable at Scone after a three month stint in Sydney with Peter Snowden and his 20 wins have put him just two behind Molly Bourke, having quickly reeled in Zac Wadick (19) and Ben Osmond (14).

So he’s had to refocus and said it’d be silly to ignore the opportunity to win the apprentice crown.

“I wasn’t planning to keep riding in the metros but I made a decision when I went back to keep going,’’ he said.

“It’s hard to get momentum and then watch all the horses you could be winning on.

“A big part of an apprentices’ success is the winter so hopefully it can carry on and be a big winter for me.”

It’ll be a light day for Nock at Canterbury on Monday but he’s keen to maintain an unbeaten record on Written Scandal in the Exceedance @ Vinery Stud Handicap (1100m).

The Snowden-trained filly jumps from a Class 1 win at Gosford last month and while Nock respects the challenge ahead he’s confident she’ll be a strong chance.

“She’s jumping a lot in the weights and it’s a step up from the provincials to this grade but I’m sure she’s got the ability to be there,’’ he said.

“She goes forward in her races, she doesn’t have to lead, she’s got a good turn of speed and we’ll make use of that.

“Both times I've ridden her she’s been quite impressive, it was a bit of a hiccup second-up, but she has the potential to be right in the finish.”

He’ll ride Tenniel for Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald if the mare gains a start in the TAB Handicap (1900m) having partnered her to a last start win at Newcastle.

It was her first run for almost two months and Nock said the key to her chances will be relaxing from the inside barrier.

“She has a tendency to go a bit keen so needs things to go right,’’ he said.

“She has decent gate speed so if she did get a run she’ll acquit herself well.”

All the fields, form and replays for Monday's Canterbury meeting