Apprentice jockey Megan Taylor already has a career best five winners to her name and if she can add the two feature races at Wagga’s TAB meeting on Tuesday it will cap off an amazing few days.
Taylor is booked to ride Levee Bank in the SDRA Country Championship Preview where some of the runners will push on to the $150,000 Country Championship qualifier at Albury. She will also ride Star Cod in the heat of the Rising Star where apprentices accumulate points in the state wide series.
The 28-year-old says since Saturday’s five race haul she has been on a high but it will back to business with three rides for her master Kerry Weir which include her mounts in the main races.
“I didn’t expect to go to Carrathool and get five winners and would have been happy with one or two,” she said. “It (winners) just kept happening. It does make you feel a bit more confident riding winners so I’m hoping it can continue.”
Taylor is the regular rider of Levee Bank who is raced and was bred by Len McIntyre of Tumut who also raced the dual winner’s dam, Shannon Bank. Levee Bank has been extremely consistent with two seconds following a win and she hasn’t finished further back than fifth in six starts this campaign.
Trainer Kerry Weir likes the chances of Levee Bank providing he gets some luck from a wide starting gate: “It’s a bad barrier. She should have won a couple of more races, but she is racing well and just needs the right run,” he said.
Taylor said Levee Bank finished off strongly last start over 1200 metres and the extra 100 metres would be beneficial: “She was making ground last stat and it was a little while between runs so she will be better off at the 1300 metres,” she said.
The one scratching from the preview is Squidensquiz who has suffered a tendon injury. Taylor will also be on Star Cod in the apprentice riders race where he also has a wide barrier.
I've Got This will be having his third start back from a spell and will be well fancied to win, while All Day Every Day won easily last start and is rated among the other main chances.
Meanwhile, Trevor Sutherland, who finished with all six winners at Carrathool, will, saddle up several runners on Tuesday headed by last start winners Lightning Alert and Mr Somerville. Lightning Alert won easily at the Yass Picnics, while Mr Somerville claimed the Carrathool Cup.
Taylor said it was encouraging to be recognised by trainers like Sutherland: “It’s hard to get race rides sometimes so it’s good when a trainer like Trevor gives you a chance and you can ride a fair few winners,” she said.
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