Five Apprentices to watch out for in 2018

Features | 1st February 2018

Each year scores of young apprentice jockeys battle it out for racing’s prestigious title of ‘Stobart Champion Apprentice’ and 2018 is shaping up to be no different.

This illustrious award is seen as the pinnacle for all apprentice jockeys and victory in the title race can often act as a springboard to bigger and better rides.

Notable recent winners include William Buick, Ryan Moore, Frankie Dettori and even more recently Oisin Murphy and Josephine Gordon.

We’ve picked out five up and coming youngsters for you to keep a watchful eye on over the coming months.

Nicola Currie

Nicola Currie is hoping to follow in the footsteps of fellow female rider Josephine Gordon on the golden route to the big time. Currie, who’s apprenticeship to trainer (and former Champion Flat Jockey) Richard Hughes has started 2018 in flying fashion.

Currie had never ridden two winners on a card, let alone three, so she could have hardly foreseen a much talked about treble after she struck with victories on Titan Goddess, Marshall Aid and Spare Parts at Chelmsford City earlier this month.

After securing seven wins at 12% strike rate since the New Year, she will no doubt be looking to kick on and progress even further up the winners table.

Callum Rodriguez

Callum is based out of Denton Hall, Darlington and is currently working under the watchful eye of Group One winning trainer Michael Dods.

Callum’s greatest success to date came last year in the Ebor Festival when winning the hugely prestigious Ebor Handicap on board Nakeeta.

This term Callum has ridden three winners from his 10 rides earning him an impressive 30% strike rate. His most recent win coming on the all-weather at Newcastle under trainer Julie Camacho.

Rossa Ryan

Rossa has had a hugely positive start to the 2018 campaign, a 28% strike rate says it all, which at the time of writing, places him 8th in the Stobart Annual Flat Championships.

Ryan’s big day to date came at Kempton this month where he rode a fantastic double aboard Baltic Prince and General Brook. He has continued to build on that, most recently winning on Reedanjas at Chelmsford.

The young Irish jockey is a big prospect in the powerful Richard Hannon yard and appears to have a big future in the sport.

 

Edward Greatrex

The 19-year-old continues to elevate his stock with eight wins and a strike rate of 22% so far this year.  Son of well-known Jumps trainer Warren Greatrex and brother of an equally talented young jump jockey Tom.

While his father and brother combine well as a partnership over the Jumps, Edward has split from the family somewhat and exclusively rides over the Flat.

Edward or Eddy as he’s sometimes known most recently seems to have found his best form at Kempton Park where he has two wins and three places coming from his last seven rides.

 

Cameron Noble

Credit: The Racing Hub

The young jockey, based out of Newmarket and apprentice to trainer Michael Bell seems to have found a strong winning formula since the turn of the year.

Cameron has seen major success so far this month, picking up four wins from his 19 rides taking forward a strike rate of 21%. Cameron has found particular success at Lingfield where he secured a double on Mr Andros and Spare Parts.

Most recently he rode Bungee Jump to victory at Lingfield on the 26th January.