Australia: Apprentice jockeys get shot in spotlight

Veteran horses will be ridden by young jockeys in the sixth race at Bendigo Racecourse in Australia on Tuesday.

The sprint, run at 6 1/2 furlongs, is restricted to apprentice riders and lacks a clear favorite in a full field of 12.

Zoujea, the mount of Lachlan Neindorf, was a slight favorite at 9-2 as of Saturday on the basis of a third-place finish in a six-furlong handicap for fillies and mares at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne on Jan. 29. Neindorf rode a winner at Morphettville on Jan. 30, but was winless with 15 mounts in February through Saturday.

Roger’s Day, a 4-year-old gelding, has won 2 of 9 starts, including his last start in a handicap at 6 1/2 furlongs at Ararat Racecourse on Feb. 1. Roger’s Day will be ridden by Alexandra Bryan, who won with 5 of 50 mounts from Dec. 19 through Thursday, her most recent day to ride.

Apprentice jockey Lewis German has been booked to ride Air Defence or Nuke, who is stuck on the also-eligible list.

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Air Defence has not raced since a win in a maiden race at a mile at Kilmore Racecourse in October in his fourth start.

Nuke will have a significant role in the betting, if the 5-year-old gelding draws into the field. Nuke has won 3 of 27 starts. His most recent win occurred in a six-furlong handicap as the 2-1 favorite at Yarra Valley Racecourse on Jan. 23 and was followed by a sixth-place finish in a tougher handicap at Sandown Racecourse in Melbourne on Feb. 10 in which he closed from eighth to miss by about 2 3/4 lengths.

The Bendigo program has eight races and begins at 9:30 p.m. Eastern, or 6:30 p.m. Pacific, on Monday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.