Racing Centre

The first race on Saturday is the VCBet.com European Association of Racing Schools Crepello Apprentice Handicap, which will feature 10 promising young riders from across Europe experiencing their first taste of international competition.

"We had hoped for a full field of 15 horses in the race, allowing 3 apprentices from each of the five countries to take part, so it is disappointing to have just the ten declarations," said Newmarket's Director of Racing, Michael Prosser.

"I feel very sorry for the five apprentices who are missing out, but it remains a wonderful opportunity for the ten who are riding. With the greatest jockey of them all, Lester Piggott, presenting the prize to the winning rider, they have a huge incentive to come home in front."

The European Association of Racing Schools (EARS) includes representatives from the racing schools in France, Italy, Germany, Ireland and from both the British Racing School and the Northern Racing College in the UK. The aim of the Association is to provide an opportunity for dialogue on the training of young people in racing and hopefully to spread best practice.

The annual apprentice race rotates each year around member countries and has previously been held at Chantilly, The Curragh, Pisa and Doncaster. It provides an important opportunity for young jockeys to broaden their experience.

THE JOCKEYS

FRANCE

Erwan Bureller 18-y-o. 70 rides; 7 winners. Chantilly/Gouvieux AFASEC school. Apprenticed to Alain de Royer Dupré for 3 years, then Mathieu Boutin and now Mikel Delzangles. First ride June 2005 at Lyon Parilly.

Frankie Leroy 18-y-o. 65 rides; 8 winners. Chantilly/Gouvieux AFASEC school. Apprenticed to David Smaga. First ride June 2006 at Longchamp; first winner 2 days later at Compiegne.

GERMANY

Fabian Xaver Weißmeier 17-y-o. 82 rides; 5 winners. First racing licence: 19 January 2006.

Lisa Krüllmann 18-y-o. 148 rides; 15 winners. First racing licence: 24 February 2006 as apprentice (2004 – 2006 – amateur licence)

IRELAND

Conor O’Farrell 18-y-o. 45 rides; 3 winners. Apprenticed to Patrick Prendergast. First ride September 2006; first winner at Gowran Park in July.

Keiran O’Neill 20-y-o. 70 rides; 2 winners. Apprenticed to Declan Gillespie. First ride October 2004; first winner at Gowran Park in June 2006.

ITALY

Concetto Santangelo 20-y-o. 9 winners. Graduated from racing school: 2003. Apprenticed to Riccardo Menichetti in Rome.

Andrea Deias 19-y-o. 5 winners. Graduated from racing school: 2006. Apprenticed to Laura Grizzetti in Milan.

UNITED KINGDOM

William Carson 18-y-o. 200 rides; 12 winners. Graduated from British Racing School 2005. Apprenticed originally to Clive Brittain and now to Stuart Williams. First ride August 2005; first winner at Southwell in January 2006.

Jack Mitchell 18-y-o. 152 rides; 19 winners (including 4 in Jersey). Graduated from the Northern Racing College. Apprenticed to his father, Philip. First ride February 2005 (as an amateur); first winner at Newmarket in July 2005 (as an amateur).

 

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

ALISTAIR HAGGIS, 07884 026 487

Distributed by Racenews

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

ALISTAIR HAGGIS, 07884 026 487

Distributed by Racenews