The man that broke in the mighty Makybe Diva has also developed emerging apprentice Rachel Murray.
The 3kg claimer has a business degree in agriculture and will ride Greg Bennett’s talented galloper Clickety Snip at Wednesday’s metropolitan meeting at Newcastle.
“Rachel is going good again,” Bennett said on Tuesday.
“She rode four winners down there [Sydney and provincial area] last week including her first winner in town at Canterbury.
“She is riding well again, her confidence is up.”
A broken knee halted Murray’s rapid rise for Bennett said the 23-year-old went through “the mental anguish” the injury ushered in.
“She’d been with me for 14 months, she’d ridden 30 winners when she arrived we got that up to 90,” Bennett said.
“She won the last two premierships up here, she lost her claim in 14 months and when that happens trainers will not put apprentices on.
“She is down in the big smoke now, she is with Grahame Begg and his wife Sue at Randwick.
“She has been working hard, the rides are coming and with that the winners.”
While Murray is currently on loan to Begg Bennett confirmed the youngster will remain in Sydney for the remainder of her apprenticeship if all works out as expected.
“It was a no brainer to put her on Clickety Snip,” Bennett said.
“She has won four races on him. The horse deserves his chance in town again. You can put a line through his latest effort in the Muswellbrook Cup. He was knocked over at the start, he travelled four and five wide and had to do too much work to finish it off like he normally does.
“He jarred up a bit after it too, had to put him on ice but he is fit and healthy, the 1600m suits, the big track will suit, and Rachel knows the horse.
“He should get a good run from the one alley as well.”
In the final event Bennett has Pompidou and the daughter of Lonhro is looking to win for the fourth straight time having only been to the races on six occasions.
“She has made natural progression,” Bennett said.
“She won the maiden and stepped up to a class two, she has won three on the trot this time in.
“It is a big step up in grade tomorrow, it is a fillies and mares race, it is the right race for her but in saying that it is a tough race.”
Bennett and Murray will team up again at Canterbury on Friday night.
“She’ll ride Mitford Girl for me,” Bennett said. “The horse has only had the two starts, won at Gosford last start with Rachael on board, started at 50-1.”
By Craig Young
