Brenton Avdulla has lost considerable momentum in the battle with Hugh Bowman in the Sydney Jockey’s Premiership race with three of his seven mounts scratched from today’s seven race program at Canterbury.

Jockey Hugh Bowman, above, holds a slight lead in the Sydney Jockey's Premiership at the start of the Canterbury meeting on July 26. Photo by Daniel Costello.

Jockey Hugh Bowman, above, holds a slight lead in the Sydney Jockey’s Premiership at the start of the Canterbury meeting on July 26. Photo by Daniel Costello.

Avdulla goes into today’s meeting, the second last for the for the 2016 – 2017 racing season, with seventy-seven and a half wins, half a win behind Bowman who maintains the narrow lead after both riders had one win at last Saturday’s Randwick meeting.

But Avdulla will have to sit out the first three races today after his mounts were scratched, leaving him only four opportunities to regain the lead before heading into the last metropolitan meeting of the season at Rosehill on Saturday.

Bowman will get a great chance to extend his lead with three top fancies in the first three races with no Avdulla to compete against.

Race 1 sees Bowman ride the Peter and Paul Snowden two year old Brave Song who is the early $2.60 favourite in the seven horse field while the field for Race 2 has been reduced to six runners with seven of the thirteen acceptors being scratched, leaving Bowman to ride the $2.20 top fancy Nictock for trainer Cameron Crockett.

Bowman hops aboard the Anthony and Edward Cummings trained Shahrazad who is also among the major players in Race 3.

Avdulla finally gets to register a winner in Race 4 when he climbs aboard the well fancied John Thompson trained Special Missile who is chasing a hat trick of wins following victories at Warwick Farm and Hawkesbury while Bowman will ride the Chris Waller trained Quick Defence.

The two top hoops will then go head to head in the final three races with Bowman to ride Invienna (R5 $5), Chatelard (R6 $6.50) and Viceroy (R7 $7) while Avdulla will be aboard Volante (R5 $16), Artistic Beauty (R6 $5.50) and  Static Lift (R7 $8).

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.