Trainer Matt Dunn is aiming to give talented apprentice Jett Newman a winning send-off with Moon Sweeper in the TAB Highway Plate (1600m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
Newman’s indentures have shifted to the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable, and she will commence her new role at Tulloch Lodge following the Randwick races.
Dunn’s decision to allow Newman to pursue opportunities in Sydney racing is an unselfish one, but he feels the timing is correct for her career advancement.
“If I hold Jett back any longer, her career development might stagnate,” Dunn told Racing And Sports.
“She’s a competitive kid and now is the time to send her down to Sydney for the next challenge.
“She has been with me for about 14 months now and this has all happened a year or so before we had anticipated.
“But Jett ripped through her country claim in 10 months and is down to claiming 2kg at the provincials.
“She’s ready for this move and it will give her the chance to ride against the better jockeys in a very competitive environment. Even riding trackwork against these jockeys will help her development.”
Newman, who is 18 years old, has been riding for less than two seasons and has already achieved 113 victories, with 58 of those being for the Dunn stable.
However, Dunn admitted he was initially hesitant to take on the promising young apprentice.
“A good friend of her father, Mitch, is a friend of mine and he rang me one day to ask if I wanted to take on an apprentice,” Dunn said.
“I said ‘no, not really’ but he still sent me about 50 replays of Jett riding in barrier trials.
“When I watched her riding, it was noticeable she had the perfect ‘seat’ in the saddle and just looked a natural.”
Dunn, who is experiencing a career-best season with 126 winners to date, placing him seventh in the NSW premiership with almost $6.4 million in prizemoney, believes Moon Sweeper can conclude his association with Newman on a high note at Royal Randwick.
Moon Sweeper, a dominant winner in the Rosehill Highway last start, is the $1.70 favourite to continue its winning streak.
“The only Highways Moon Sweeper he can run in these days are the ‘Plates’ otherwise he would get 65kg,” Dunn said.
“But gets into Saturday’s race with 59kg topweight and after Jett’s claim, he has 56kg so he’s well weighted.”He has drawn a nice barrier, likes the wet and he’s in very good form.”
Newman has a total of four rides at Randwick, including two for the Brett and Georgie Cavanough stable aboard Honniball Drive ($23) in the Elite Sand And Soil Handicap (1400m) and Williamsburg ($15) in the Precise Air Handicap (1800m). She will also ride the Matthew Smith-trained Astero ($26) in the Toyota Forklifts Handicap (1400m).
Punters keen on Moon Sweeper can find competitive racing odds at leading Australian betting sites.
