Racing: Grylls hopes to bow out of apprenticeship on good note

It would be a good day for Craig Grylls to punch home a winner at Te Aroha today.

It's his last day as an apprentice jockey.

Grylls becomes the first apprentice to take advantage of New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing's new regulation regarding riders being able to end their apprenticeships early.

The rule stipulates that when apprentices turn 18 they have the option of finishing their indenture provided they have outridden their apprentice claim, completed the designated apprentice school hours and have the permission of their employer.

Grylls' actual apprenticeship with Graeme Sanders at Te Awamutu was due to be completed on March 8 next year.

"The rule is for the likes of Craig Grylls and James McDonald, who ride like senior jockeys for the last part of their apprenticeships," said NZTR licensing officer Matthew Barnsley.

"There is no real point in riders like that continuing to be apprentices. They can't claim allowances and they ride at the top level, they may as well be seniors."

Grylls has ridden 216 winners as an apprentice, the first of them at Ellerslie on November 8, 2005.

He has ridden two group one winners, Pasta Post in Ellerslie's Easter Handicap and Kaaptan in the Ellerslie Diamond Stakes.

His rides in the two apprentice races at Te Aroha today are Fistral Bay in Race 10 and Erlicheer in Race 11.

Erlicheer, trained by Graeme and Mark Sanders, is a natural for him to ride - it's part owned by his two grandmothers.

The form of Fistral Bay perhaps looks just fair on paper, but he may be a better chance than that.

Fistral Bay has run some smart races in strong fields over the past 12 months and should appreciate coming in here fresh from a break. The last time Grylls rode him, in May at Tauranga, the pair were a good thing beaten when badly checked in the home straight.

His other rides today are Mes Yeux Bleus R1, Sir Ernie R2, Ballroom R3, Sazzana R5, Albaladejo R8 and Shamrose R9.