Lane, Williams level in premiership race

With 11 city meetings of the season remaining, Damian Lane and defending champion Craig Williams are tied at the top of the Melbourne jockeys’ premiership.

Lane has missed the past two Victorian metropolitan meetings through a careless riding suspension but has been back in action this week and returns to city racing at Flemington on Saturday with a strong book of seven rides.

Among them are Star Fall, Creativity and Nature Strip who are all favourites in early markets on the first three races.

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The Ciaron Maher-trained colt Star Fall was at $3.10 on Friday for the Gippsland Region Handicap (1400m) for two-year-olds while Creativity was at $2.30 for The Murray Region Handicap (1400m) for mares.

Nature Strip, who will be having his first start since being transferred to trainer Darren Weir, was at $1.90 for the Great Ocean Road Handicap (1100m) for three-year-olds.

Williams, a six-time Melbourne premiership winner, also has a solid book of eight rides at Flemington including Knowable who was equal $6.50 favourite on Friday for the 2018 Country Achiever Quinton Scott Handicap (1400m) while another three of his mounts were at single figure odds.

Apprentice Ethan Brown, who is four wins behind in third place in the premiership standings, has two rides at the meeting.