Nugent hoping to clinch apprentices’ title

Teo Nugent is trying to protect his lead in Victoria’s statewide apprentices’ title.

With less than a week of the season remaining, Teo Nugent is hopeful of holding his lead in the Victorian apprentices premiership.

While Michael Poy has an unassailable lead in the Melbourne metropolitan apprentices’ premiership, Nugent’s 84 wins across the state so far during the 2018/19 season has him six wins in front in the race for the Victorian title.

Nugent rode a winner in the final race at Sandown on Wednesday after three second placings earlier in the program, and he is hopeful of adding to his season tally at Caulfield on Saturday with four rides on the program.

“Things have been going really well,” Nugent, who is in his second season of race riding, said.

“I’m leading the country apprentice premiership and I’m six in front of Michael Poy for the overall (Victorian) champion apprentice, so I’m trying to hold on to that.”

Last weekend, the 21-year-old travelled to Sydney to ride Dr Drill for his boss Ciaron Maher, who trains in partnership with David Eustace, and got the job done on the imported galloper at Randwick to notch his first Sydney winner.

“It was a strong win,” Nugent said.

“It was great to get the winner for Ciaron and open up the doors up there. He’s got about 30 in work up there at Warwick Farm, so it’s good to flick between the two states and have a great boss that looks after you.”

Nikita Beriman has won on the Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained Tavirun in his past two starts over 2000m at Caulfield but Nugent has been called on to ride the in-form three-year-old in Saturday’s MyPunter.com Handicap (2400m) and claim 3kg off his 59.5kg impost.

“I’ll claim off him and hopefully he can race to his best,” Nugent said.

“He’s obviously stepping out in trip but if he can travel nicely with that 3kg relief, you’d think he would be in the finish.”

Tavirun is the $2.70 favourite while Nugent said he was also looking forward to jumping aboard Tasmanian gelding Tshahitsi, a multiple Listed race winner, who is second-up in Saturday’s Catanach’s Jewellers Handicap (1400m).

Tshahitsi was fifth in the Listed All Victorian Sprint Series Final (1200m) first-up at Flemington on July 6.

“They are two really nice rides,” he said.

Nugent is also booked to ride Satori for Matt Cumani and the Luke Oliver-trained Waltonia.