James McDonald surpassed the New Zealand record for wins by an apprentice rider in a season when he reached 183 at Matamata yesterday.
The Cambridge apprentice held the record jointly with Michael Walker at the start of racing yesterday.
He won on She's Invincible. His previous highest tally in a season was 151 wins when he finished second to Opie Bosson in the premiership last year. McDonald led the premiership in 2008-09 with 125 wins.
Walker rode 182 wins in the 2000-01 season when he led the premiership.
He was the leading rider with 131 wins the previous season when he also led the premiership.
McDonald is on target to better the New Zealand record of riding wins in a season of 197 set by Lisa Cropp in 2004-05.
Gary Walsh has replaced Joanne Rathbone as the rider of High Seas in the open hurdles at Wingatui today.
Rathbone was concussed in a fall from Kidunot in the Great Western Steeplechase at Riverton on May 8.
She is required to stand down from race riding for three weeks. She rode High Seas to win a maiden hurdles at Riverton the same day.
The Palmerston North-based Walsh also has the mount on Roseline (maiden hurdles) and Lindisfarne (open steeplechase today). Roseline, winner of six flat races, is having her first start over hurdles.
Lindisfarne was badly checked and parted company with Walsh in the Great Western.
Venetian Raider, Fellini, Foneeleven and Sun Valley represent the stable of leading trainer Michael Pitman at Wingatui.
Amelia Denby, the stable apprentice, will claim 2kg for Fellini, a winner on a soft track at Wingatui on April 1 when Chris Johnson was the rider. Johnson rides Foneeleven.
Another stable apprentice, Courtney Van Der Werf, claims 3kg for Venetian Raider. The Rusty Spur filly was an easy winner on a dead track at Waterlea on April 28 first up for the Pitman stable.
Pitman travelled to Brisbane last week with El Chico, Milo and Conscious Mistake. El Chico is in the Darley Sprint (1350m) at Doomben on Saturday with Chris Munce the rider.
El Chico has won six races, including the group three Easter Cup (1600m) at Riccarton from 17 starts this season.
