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By Greg Prichard

Jockey Aaron Bullock’s victory at the Taree meeting on Monday concluded an eight-day, race-winning rampage that has blown apart the battle for the NSW Jockeys’ Premiership in his favour.

Bullock rode the Paul Snowden-trained Cluedo to a clear win in the Max 1073 Country Boosted Benchmark 58 Handicap over 1400m in what was an easy watch for those who backed the $3.20 favourite.

It was the eighth winner in four days for Bullock, who won three times at Tamworth on Friday and three times again at Newcastle on Saturday before singles at Dubbo on Sunday and finally Taree.

Leading NSW jockey Aaron Bullock - has ridden 109 winners this season. Image by Bradley Photographers

And going back just a few days further last week, Bullock had ridden two winners at Port Macquarie on the Tuesday and four at Scone on the Monday.

That is a sensational 14 winners in eight days and what had been a very tight race between at least four jockeys for the coveted NSW title now threatens to become a one-act affair over the last month of the season.

Bullock is now a clear leader on 109 wins, with Ashley Morgan and Braith Nock next on 101 each and Jean Van Overmeire on 99.

The race isn’t quite over yet, but if Bullock avoids injury and suspension it will take an extraordinary effort by any of those other riders to somehow run him down.

And all of this after Bullock missed the first two months of the season with a broken collarbone sustained in a race fall towards the end of the previous season.

Bullock also leads the NSW Country Jockeys’ Premiership on 90 wins, but that is still very much a contest with his advantage just four wins over Nick Heywood.

It looks to be a race in two there though, with Luke Rolls and Clayton Gallagher next-best on 76 each.

The 2024-25 season has been another tremendous one for Bullock, whose four wins in Sydney during that time include the $1m Evergreen Turf Country Championships Final on Know Thyself at Randwick in April.

Cluedo’s win at Taree continues Snowden’s early success in his transition from training in partnership with his father Peter at Randwick to training on his own at Port Macquarie. Snowden has had six starters for three winners so far.

“I rode Cluedo in a trial and I said to Paul ‘this horse goes alright’,” Bullock said. “I was looking forward to riding him in a race.

“Paul’s obviously been a very good trainer in partnership with his father and he’s going to be very successful up here. He knows exactly what he’s doing and it’s great to have a trainer of his calibre join the ranks on the Mid North Coast.”

The washout of Tuesday’s Newcastle (Beaumont Track) meeting gave Newcastle-based Bullock a rare day off from his busy schedule and a bit of time to reflect on how this season has panned out for him.

“You don’t like it when you miss a couple of good rides, but when it’s forced on you by the weather I do appreciate a day off because I’ve got a young family,” he said.

“We’ll be back in action soon enough and as long as I don’t have any bad luck I can concentrate on finishing the season off well and winning those titles.

“I didn’t expect to be in a position to win anything after missing the first two months of the season, so it’s a bonus to be where I am now and have a great chance.

“I don’t set out to win premierships at the start of the season. I set out to make the best of every opportunity and ride at least 100 winners and if it comes it comes. I do love the trophy you get if you win a premiership, though. That’s always great.

“It’s been a big year that included the Country Championships Final as well and winning a big race like that for good supporters of mine like (co-trainers) Paul Messara and Leah Gavranich is always important.

“I love riding in Sydney, but I don’t go down there just for the sake of it when I can get a few rides that are winning chances at a country or provincial meeting on the same day.

“There’s got to be a good reason to go and I’ve picked up a few very good rides in Sydney this season.”