Thursday 29th October 2009
Betfair Apprentice Training Series winner looks to end on a high
Apprentice Simon Pearce has bolted up in the Betfair Apprentice Training Series; he is 50 points clear of his nearest rival Matthew Davies after the penultimate race in the series and cannot be caught in the final race which takes place at Newmarket tomorrow (Friday 30th October), where he rides Atacama Sunrise trained by his father Jeff Pearce.
Betfair are providing Simon with a prize of a £5,000 value working holiday with leading American trainer Neil Drysdale in California this winter.
Simon Pearce is apprenticed to his father Jeff Pearce and has ridden in all races throughout the series. Whilst not winning a race in the series, he has been placed on five occasions and has secured the title through his consistent participation in the series, skills displayed and professional approach to race riding.
Jockey Coach Jimmy Bleasdale said: “Simon set out to win this series and has taken part in all eleven races. He has shown a very professional attitude to his race riding, always well turned out and arriving in good time to walk the course. He thoroughly deserves this win, I’m sure he’ll learn a great deal in California over the winter and I wish him all the very best with his future race riding career.”
Betfair was the first person-to-person betting exchange. A betting exchange allows punters to bet on prices set by punters themselves rather than by a bookmaker, which, by one independent study, results in Betfair's odds being 20% better than bookmakers' starting prices.
The Betfair Apprentice Training Series consists of 12 races from April to October, spread geographically throughout Britain and is designed to be the next step on in terms of developing apprentice’s race riding skills and professionalism from the Hands and Heels Series. As with the Hands and Heels series, a British Racing School Jockey Coach attends each race, walks the course with riders, briefs them on the conditions and carries out a review of the race – but in the training series riders are permitted to use their whips, however only in the backhand position.
Jack Dean won the 2008 Betfair Apprentice Training Series.
