Racing: Du Plessis has strong book at Avondale

Photo / Thinkstock

Mark Du Plessis will look to extend his premiership lead with a strong book of rides at Avondale today, before he shoots for further group-race success on the Gold Coast on Saturday.

The South Auckland jockey holds a four-win lead over Matthew Cameron in the national jockeys' premiership and has nine rides at Avondale as he bids to add to his tally of 108 wins already this season.

Among those is the Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman-trained Genius in the Rating 65 1400m event.

Du Plessis rode Genius to a comfortable last-start maiden win at Te Teko and the Garry Chittick-owned Savabeel filly looks a strong chance of repeating.

Other leading chances for Du Plessis include Diamond Thorn, Gift Of Fire and Soviet Song, while his remaining rides are Street Wars, Elusive Kitty, Bechtolshiemer, Saint Martins and Christian Grey.

Du Plessis will ride late entry Perfect Start for Matamata trainer Wayne Hillis in the Hollindale Stakes (1800m) at the Gold Coast on Saturday, as well as teaming up with the Emma-Lee Browne-trained Rollout The Carpet in the Prime Minister's Cup (1300m) and the Tony Pike-trained Rock Diva in the Gold Coast Bracelet (1800m).

Du Plessis will ride midweek in New Zealand next week before returning to Brisbane to ride at Eagle Farm on Saturday week, when his rides will include the Lisa Latta-trained Zennista in the Chairman's Hcp (2000m), the Donna Logan-trained Telepathic in the Rough Habit Plate (2000m) and the Latta-trained King Kamada on the undercard.