Jai Williams has become the second apprentice jockey in as many seasons to take out both the Gold Coast Jockeys’ Premiership and the Gold Coast Apprentice Jockeys’ Premiership … his thirty-nine winners placing him a comfortable nine wins clear of the second placed Jag Guthmann-Chester in the senior premiership and fourteen winners clear of Emily Lang in the Apprentice Premiership.
Bailey Wheeler achieved the same notable premiership double last season with thirty-five winners.
Williams rode a double at the Gold Coast last Saturday to edge closer to Michael Rodd’s apprentice jockey record of forty-two winners … which has stood since the 2000/01 season … but the young rider will have to leave it there as he will not be in action on Saturday, the closing Gold Coast meeting of the season, as he was suspended for his ride on Richon in the Ramornie at Grafton.
Also, as a consequence, Williams will enter the new season late as he only returns from suspension of August 13, giving him time to relax, refresh and reset before he takes aim at new targets next season.