Rising apprentice joins Cranbourne stable

By Stuart Teather
MICK Kent welcomed a new addition to his racing team on Tuesday, with up-and-coming Queensland apprentice jockey Brent Evans making the move to Kent’s Cranbourne stable.
Evans made a name for himself at the Brisbane winter carnival this season with some big wins, including the Group 3 Gold Coast Guineas and the listed Eye Liner Stakes.
The 18-year-old’s Queensland master, Lindsay Hatch, was suspended from training for a year after one of his horses returned a high bicarbonate reading, forcing Evans to look elsewhere.
A mutual friend of Hatch and Kent recommended Evans to the Cranbourne trainer, and Evans jumped on board.
But the move was not without its own hurdles, as Evans is unable to ride until next Wednesday after receiving a careless riding suspension at Townsville.
Despite the temporary setback, Kent said Evans’ timing was impeccable.
“I’ve got one of the leading apprentices in Victoria at the moment, Ibrahim Gundogdu, and he comes out of his time at the end of this month, so it’s a perfect situation really,” Kent said.
Speaking on Monday, the day before Evans joined his stable, Kent said he was not sure what to expect from his new apprentice.
“I can’t say I do (know much about him). I know him by reputation, I haven’t had a good look at him yet, but to ride the winners he’s ridden in such a short time, he’s obviously got some ability.”
However the master trainer, whose horse Banana Man is the favourite to take out the Country Victorian Horse of the Year later this year, said Evans’ Queensland reputation would not get him far in Melbourne.
“It’s more competitive in Victoria, he’ll need to be on his game to make in-roads here.
“You’ve got two more months of winter racing here, then the spring horses step out and it makes it much harder for a claiming apprentice, most of the races then become non-claiming races and all the good jockeys are hungry for the better rides.
“He needs to strike a blow here pretty early and get people to know him and respect him, so he can catch some momentum going into spring.”