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By Ray Hickson

It’s been a whirlwind year already for boom apprentice Braith Nock and with one hand on the Champion Apprentice trophy, and the Theo Green Medal that comes with it, he’s already setting his sights on next season.

Braith Nock is a commanding leader in the apprentice jockey premiership (Pic: Bradley Photos).

Nock holds a commanding 11 win lead over Molly Bourke with a month of the 2024/25 season remaining and he takes a book of rides to Rosehill on Saturday that includes four mounts which are either early favourite or second pick in the market.

The 23-year-old has also moved into tenth place in the Sydney jockeys premiership with 35 city winners and that provides an illustration of his swift rise as he’d only ridden one prior to this season.

He still has 14 more wins before losing his 2kg city claim, and then another 30 before he loses his allowance, and while he knows things will get harder as that claim reduces he’d like to match Zac Lloyd’s feat of back-to-back titles.

“That’d be a bit of a goal I’d say,’’ Nock said.

“I’m proud of how far I’ve come in a short period of time. It’s all happened pretty quick.

“A lot of the better jockeys are away a lot of Saturdays at the moment and that helps you get on the right horses but I’ve had a lot of support.”

Nock chases a hat-trick on Mickey’s Medal, for one of his major supporters Annabel & Rob Archibald, in the Schweppes Handicap (1500m).

The gelding had been racing consistently without winning until posting successive wins over the Rosehill 1500m and Nock said while rising in class it looks another suitable race.

“He’s racing really well, he’s drawn a bit stickier this time and is up in grade as well,’’ he said.

“It should be a genuinely run race. You’ve got to leave him alone to be where he wants to be then he travels up really nicely.”

Mickey’s Medal shared favouritism at $3.60 with TAB on Thursday with Thunderlips, who Nock rates as the horse to beat.

Stablemate Don’t Forget Jack is also in line for a repeat performance in the Captivant @ Kia Ora Handicap (1400m) having scored in a similar race two weeks ago.

He’ll rise 2.5kg in weight and Nock said 1400m really suits the gelding and if he can find some clear air in the run he should be hard to hold out, as he was last start when running down rival Tasoraay.

“There’s a few there that should press forward,’’ he said.

“He appreciates racing wherever he lands and a bit of galloping room, he’s a big robust horse.”

Nock has had to wait an extra week to reunite with Piggyback in the Asahi Super Dry Handicap (1800m) and he certainly hopes there’s more tempo than the mare experienced in her close third at Randwick earlier this month.

She was scratched from last week’s meeting to allow a longer gap between runs and while her record says she prefers a wet track Nock said she appears to be in great form.

“She doesn’t have a lot of gate speed, they went really slow in that race last time out and was left really flat footed but she picked up the last 50m,’’ he said.

“Up in distance in a more genuinely run race she should be strong late.”

Mickey's Medal wins at Rosehill on June 14

His boss Brett Cavanough has two runners in the TAB Highway (1500m) and Nock partners New Pharoah this time around having ridden stablemate Warrior For Peace when they clashed two weeks back.

He said there’s not a lot between the pair, who finished half a length apart in that race, and perhaps a better draw than last time can swing the decision in New Pharoah’s favour.

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Rosehill meeting