Jockey Aaron Bullock has a fabulous book of rides at Taree races on Tuesday as he marches towards another NSW Jockeys’ Premiership - and there are several mounts he is particularly keen on.
Bullock has rides in each of the seven races and none of them is priced at longer odds than $7.
Two of them - in the first couple of races – are favourites and he is very optimistic about the chances of those two as well as another couple late in the day.
Bullock will ride the Lou Mary-trained Blue Kingdom in race one, the Racing Mates Country Boosted Maiden Plate over 1262m, and the three-year-old gelding is a $1.85 favourite.
It will be Blue Kingdom's first race start. He has had two barrier trials for Mary after being transferred from the Ben, Will & JD Hayes stable in Victoria, where he had three trials.
"I like that horse, he went really well when I rode him in a barrier trial at Scone," Bullock said.
"They gave him another trial after that and he's ready to go now. He's drawn lovely in barrier three and he'll run well."
In the trial Bullock rode him in, Blue Kingdom was very competitive when second over 1000m at Scone on June 25.
Bullock will ride another unraced three-year-old gelding, Oakfield Pluto, in race two, the Vale Paul Matts Maiden Handicap over 1007m.
Oakfield Pluto has run in two barrier trials, the first in February and the latest on July 9, and was placed in both. Bullock rode him each time and the Kris Lees-trained galloper is the $3.40 favourite on debut.
"He's drawn very well too and obviously comes from a top stable," Bullock said. "He finished off well in his second trial. Only just getting to the races now, but it might be worth the wait."
Bullock's last two rides of the day are Oakfield Echidna ($6.50) in race six, the TAB Venue Mode Benchmark 58 Handicap over 1614m, and Critical Time ($5.50) in race seven, the MVRC Winning Post Function Centre Class 3 Handicap over 1262m.
Bullock is not put off by five-year-old gelding Oakfield Echidna's wide draw. If the three emergencies come out, Oakfield Echidna will start from barrier 11 in a 12-horse-field.
"It was an enormous win first-up from a spell by Oakfield Echidna at big odds when I rode him at Muswellbrook," Bullock said. "Then they sent him around at big odds again at Hawkesbury and he ran second.
"It's a horse that can definitely win again, now that he's found form. He's come back in terrific order. I've ridden him a lot and in his first couple of preps he was just a bit weak and needed time to strengthen up.
"(Trainer) Damien Lane said the horse wasn't the best eater, so obviously with a bit of maturity now he's getting the eating down-pat and handling the work.
"It's drawn wide, but the way he let down first-up over 1280 the mile is going to be right up his alley, so I reckon he's my best ride of the day to be honest.
"The wide draw isn't easy around Taree, but I'll be positive from the jump because if I sit back and try to circle them there it just gets too hard.
"If I can settle down behind the first three or four I'll be happy, because it means I've got less horses to go around. He's third-up, so I'm confident he can handle that.
"Critical Time put in an enormous run first-up, when he ran third at Grafton, and I'm expecting him to be even better second-up. I'm really looking forward to this race with him.
"Every horse I'm riding at Taree is a chance, but it's a really good way to finish off the day with those two rides."
The racing season ends on July 31 and Bullock, with his 119 winners so far, has a seven-win lead over Braith Nock in the NSW Jockeys' Premiership.
Bullock also leads the NSW Country Jockeys' Premiership with his 99 wins - six ahead of Nick Heywood.
