Above: Peter Mertens, riding Hasty Appeal to victory in race seven at Cranbourne on Thursday, is still in contention for the Cranbourne Senior Jockey Premiership with one meet to go.
By Stuart Teather
TWO locals are taking the fight to the wire for the Cranbourne Senior Jockey’s Premiership, with the result too close to call before the final meet.
Craig Newitt and Peter Mertens are neck and neck for the award, and will have to wait for the 24 July race day to see who claims the trophy.
Newitt has his nose in front with 13 wins for the season, while Mertens sits second with 12.
Mertens was third behind Brad Rawiller, but two wins on Thursday saw him climb into second position to stay within reach of the prize.
Rawiller could still spoil the party for the locals, sitting just one win behind Mertens after two seconds and a third on Thursday.
Mertens said fighting for the premiership was familiar territory for him, having won the title previously.
“Me and Craig have fought out a few in the past,” he said. “You’d like to win it, but it’s not the end of the world if you don’t.”
Mertens won both the Maiden Plate on Casual Maestro, and the Edward Bull Funeral Services Handicap on Hasty Appeal, on Thursday to continue his good form.
Newitt claimed the last race of the day with a two-length win on Robbie Griffiths-trained Sir Charlemagne.
He will be looking to go back to back with the premiership, having edged out Mertens last year.
“It’s always good to win them, I won it last year,” Newitt said.
“Throughout the year, you don’t pay much attention to them but once you get to the end of the year, you have a better idea of who will win it.”
Newitt deflected suggestions that he rode particularly well at Cranbourne, attributing his success to “a little bit of luck”.
Modestly, both riders denied the premiership gave them bragging rights, despite saying they were good friends.
