THE Kildare-born, 22-year-old Robbie Dolan is well poised to be part of the end-of-season awards ceremonies in August. Presently, Dolan has a healthy seven-win lead in the New South Wales Provincial Apprentice Jockeys’ premiership and lies second behind Sam Weatherley in the Metropolitan Apprentice Jockeys’ premiership.

Indentured on a sponsored visa to trainer Mark Newham, Dolan’s 44 winners for the season have him on track to outride his claim, having ridden 71 winners in just over two years.

“He’s good fun to have around the yard, he’s never any trouble and works hard,” said Newham of Bobby Dolan’s son who graduated from RACE in 2013 and was a two-time All-Ireland finalist as an amatuer boxer. “He’s got good ability to ride a horse back in the field. A lot of apprentices who go through their claim do it just riding horses on the pace and using the weight advantage that way.

“He rode a horse of John O’Shea’s at Canterbury [Southern Lad], he was three back the fence, which is not ideal at Canterbury coming to the corner, but worked his way to the outside and got it home. He’s done it a few times. That’s an indication they’ve got more to their riding than just the claim.”

Saturday’s effort was a new high for Dolan with a win registered for Joseph Pride on Easy Eddie before completing the double on the race-favourite Gresham for the State’s leading trainer Chris Waller.

“I don’t use apprentices that often because in Sydney a three-kilo claim is irrelevant when you are taking on the top jockeys,” said Waller. Dolan had five rides for the day posting two seconds and a third with his other mounts.