Racing Queensland has today announced the jockeys that will represent the state in this year’s National Apprentice Race Series.
The Queensland team is headlined by the inclusion of Angela Jones, who sits firmly entrenched inside the top five of the Metropolitan Jockeys’ Premiership standings.
Joining Jones as the Sunshine State’s official representatives will be Sophie Wilcock, Marnu Potgieter, Lilli Barr and Emily Lang.
The series commences in Darwin on Saturday March 4, where Roma-based hoop Sophie Wilcock will represent Queensland for the first time in the series.
Heading west to Belmont, Western Australia, Marnu Potgieter will don the maroon hot on the heels of claiming his first metropolitan victory for the season earlier this month.
Lilli Barr, who is apprenticed to Les Ross, will also make her debut for the state when the series makes its way to Hobart on March 19, before Emily Lang steps up in the fourth round at Strathalbyn in South Australia on March 22.
Plying her trade for masters Steve O’Dea and Matt Hoysted, Lang has enjoyed a fairytale start to her riding career, headlined by her perfect five wins from five rides at just her second ever race meeting in June last year at Warwick.
“The National Apprentice Race Series is a fantastic initiative for young apprentices across the country, and it is a brilliant way to have some of Queensland’s best up-and-comers experience riding at different tracks nation-wide,” RQ CEO Brendan Parnell said.
“This year’s Queensland squad is arguably one of the strongest we have put together, headlined by a number of our top young female riders in Angela, Lilli, Emily and Sophie.
“We look forward to watching the series unfold over the coming weeks, and seeing our next generation of Queensland stars compete with the best that the other states have to offer.”