Racing: Last-gasp win gives Freedman premiership

MELBOURNE - The Lee Freedman stable landed its first metropolitan winner in just under two months to snatch the trainers' premiership from the powerful David Hayes yard in the last race of the season at Sandown yesterday.

With both leading trainers locked on 64 wins, it looked unlikely that Freedman, with only two runners at the meeting, could hold off the Hayes team which saddled up eight starters.

However, Hayes had three placegetters but failed to land a winner, while Freedman had a second with Zacroona, ridden by Damien Oliver, before apprentice Nathan Rose booted home Charzoo in the last race.

For Rose it was only his second city winner, having landed his first at Sandown a week ago in an apprentices-only race, and his first ride for the Freedman stable.

With Rye-based Freedman and his brother Anthony busy with their horses at home, the stable was represented by stable foreman Sam Pritchard-Gordon at Sandown.

"It was all part of the plan," Pritchard-Gordon joked in reference to the fact that the stable hadn't trained a city winner since Gibraltar Moon at Flemington on June 6.

"Lee and Anthony will be tickled pink. The premiership coming down to the wire ... and the sense of theatre. It's all good."

Freedman has now won seven Melbourne premierships, one more than Hayes.

The enthralling battle for jockeys' premiership honours between Damien Oliver and Craig Williams also got down to the last race but when their mounts finished seventh and sixth respectively, they were locked together on 71 winners.

Williams gained the ascendancy early winning the opening event on Dane The Rave, prepared by his father Allan Williams.

However Oliver, who had six rides at the meeting, two less than Williams who had a full book, hit back with his fourth ride when One Lucky Lady took out the Betfair Handicap.

Williams has now won four consecutive premierships, while Oliver has eight titles.

"It's been a great day and I think we've doubled the crowd," Oliver said.

The apprentices' title also had an exciting conclusion with Nick Hall landing his 33rd win for the season aboard the Robert Smerdon-trained Stoneblack to hold out Ibrahim Gundogdu and Dean Holland by one win.

Gundogdu, who went into the meeting one winner behind Hall, guided All Cheval home the winner in the Gothic Handicap for his master Mick Kent.

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Leading Brisbane apprentice Brent Evans looks set to make a successful transition to Victorian riding ranks after booting home Florina for his first winner for new boss Mick Kent yesterday.

Evans, 18, had his first rides since his move south at Moonee Valley on Saturday.

It didn't take him long to break into the winner's circle at just his seventh ride since joining the Kent stable.

The young hoop settled Florina back in the field before coming with a sustained run to win the Bianco Flyer Handicap (2100m).

Kent was full of praise for his recent stable acquisition.

"He's a talent. He's worked hard and rode 90 winners last year in Brisbane and he's leading rider at Ipswich, Toowoomba and Brisbane.

"He rode her very well and she certainly surprised me. I thought the track may have been a bit firm for her today."

- AAP