Siena Grima is steadily narrowing Braith Nock’s premiership advantage, injecting an exciting new element into the final weeks of the Sydney apprentices’ title race.
Last year’s champion junior rider, Nock, secured an early victory at Rosehill on Saturday in a Highway Handicap (1500m) aboard Portofino ($7.50 with leading Aussie betting sites). However, Grima responded by claiming a double for her principal, Chris Waller, with wins on Tarzing ($3.60) and Surf’s Up ($2.70 favourite).
Later in the day, she partnered with Matthew Smith to win the Schweppes Handicap (1200m) aboard Ready To Shine.
With only nine metropolitan race meetings remaining in the 2025-26 racing season, Grima has now achieved 28 city wins, placing her just two behind Nock. Crucially, she has the support of Sydney’s most prominent racing stable.
Darren Beadman, assistant trainer to Waller and a former champion jockey himself, views the contest between Grima and Nock as a positive development for the sport.
“She is making a good go of it. It’s great for racing to have a bit of competition like this over the last month,” Beadman stated. “Braith has done a tremendous job last year, and to continue on into the next season being strong.”
Beadman, who is mentoring Grima, offered particular commendation for her ride on Surf’s Up in Saturday’s Find Your Eternal Warrior @ The Chase Handicap (1400m).
He had initially suggested she adopt tactics similar to her previous winning ride on Tarzing, which involved tracking the leaders. However, he was pleased to see her trust her own judgment when the race’s early pace shifted.
“I told her to bang her out and copy-paste last ride, just in behind the lead, but when she elected to let (jockey) Anna Roper cross her and be three pairs back on the fence, that was the winning move,” Beadman explained. “She could have kept holding her spot and using gas all the way. A ride beyond her years of riding, and she was strong at the finish.”
Grima has openly expressed her ambition to surpass Nock and secure the Sydney apprentices’ premiership. Should she succeed, she will join Kathy O’Hara (2004-05), Winona Costin (2014-15), and Rachel King (2017-18) as the fourth female to achieve this distinction.
“It’s going to be really exciting. He’s a great opponent,” Grima commented.
The competition for the Sydney apprentices’ premiership is heating up, and punters are looking at the available racing odds to back their chosen rider’s chances.