Josh Cartwright adds talent to riding ranks.
Promising apprentice Jockey Josh Cartwright has settled in Geelong in a boost to the local riding ranks.
Cartwright,17, has ridden 15 winners from 150 mounts in less than 12 months of riding in the Albury district. He's joined the Freshwater stables of co-trainers Jamie Edwards and Bruce Elkington to further his riding opportunities.
Edwards said yesterday Cartwright would help meet a need for more apprentice jockeys in Geelong. "Now that Tahlia Rodder has come out of her time, it leaves Damien Thornton as the only apprentice riding in Geelong" Edwards said. "there should be opportunities for josh in the Western District too because I think Jacqui Berriman is the only apprentice down that way".
Cartwrigh has been riding work at Freshwater Creek for a fortnight and will ride work at Geelong racecourse some mornings. Edwards said Cartwright was a natural horseman and had done a lot of three-day eventing in equestrian competitions. "Josh was runner-up in NSW junior competition for three-day eventing in 2010 and he has a similar style to former champion Victorian apprentice Nick Ryan", he said. Ryan, who rode Zazzman to third place at $100 in the 2003 Melbourne Cup, tutored Cartwright for three months late last year at Brett Cavanough's stables at Albury. "Brett and Nick are good friends and Brett got him up there to help out for three months, but I think it was mainly to help with my developement", Cartwright said.
Cartwright weighs 52kg and has ridden winners mainly at Albury, Corowa, Wagga, Goulbourn and Wangaratta.. But he's been to some rough bush meetings, especially at Hay, 300km west of Wagga and Carathool , half way on the road to Hay."At Hay, it was a sand- dirt track and about 42C, it was so hot the sand burnt your face"' Cartwright said.
Cartwright rode Faveaux ($14) into 3rd place at Ararat on Tuesday and pleased Edwards with his ride. "Josh could have been trapped wide on Faveaux but he was positive and drove forward outside the leader. I like the fact that he is positive with his mounts"' Edwards said.
Article taken from the Geelong Advertiser.