Trainer Matt Dunn is looking to provide star apprentice Jett Newman with a winning farewell at Royal Randwick on Saturday aboard the talented Moon Sweeper in the TAB Highway Plate (1600m).
Newman’s indentures are moving to trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, and she will begin her time at Tulloch Lodge after the Randwick meeting concludes.
While Dunn’s decision to let Newman pursue opportunities in Sydney racing reflects his support for her career, he believes the timing is appropriate for her to advance.
“If I hold Jett back any longer, her career development might stagnate,” Dunn told Racing And Sports.
“She’s a competitive kid and now is the time to send her down to Sydney for the next challenge.
“She has been with me for about 14 months now and this has all happened a year or so before we had anticipated.
“But Jett ripped through her country claim in 10 months and is down to claiming 2kg at the provincials.
“She’s ready for this move and it will give her the chance to ride against the better jockeys in a very competitive environment. Even riding trackwork against these jockeys will help her development.”
Newman, aged 18, has been riding for under two seasons and has already secured 113 wins, with 58 of those coming for the Dunn stable.
Dunn confessed that he was initially reluctant to take on the promising young apprentice.
“A good friend of her father, Mitch, is a friend of mine and he rang me one day to ask if I wanted to take on an apprentice,” Dunn said.
“I said ‘no, not really’ but he still sent me about 50 replays of Jett riding in barrier trials.
“When I watched her riding, it was noticeable she had the perfect ‘seat’ in the saddle and just looked a natural.”
Dunn, who is enjoying a career-best season with 126 winners and ranks seventh in the NSW premiership with nearly $6.4 million in prizemoney, feels Moon Sweeper can mark the end of his partnership with Newman with a victory at Royal Randwick.
Moon Sweeper, a convincing winner of the Rosehill Highway last start, is the $1.70 favourite to continue its winning run.
“The only Highways Moon Sweeper he can run in these days are the ‘Plates’ otherwise he would get 65kg,” Dunn said.
“But gets into Saturday’s race with 59kg topweight and after Jett’s claim, he has 56kg so he’s well weighted.”He has drawn a nice barrier, likes the wet and he’s in very good form.”
Newman has four rides scheduled at Randwick, including two for the Brett and Georgie Cavanough stable on Honniball Drive ($23) in the Elite Sand And Soil Handicap (1400m) and Williamsburg ($15) in the Precise Air Handicap (1800m), as well as the Matthew Smith-trained Astero ($26) in the Toyota Forklifts Handicap (1400m).
Secure your racing odds for the TAB Highway Plate at various Australian betting sites.
