AARON Bullock's winning double at Saturday's Newcastle Jockey Club race meeting - followed by two more at Wellington yesterday - has lifted him into the lead in the NSW jockeys' premiership race.
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Bullock won the premiership last season with 207.5 winners, and he was the only jockey to ride two winners on Saturday, to take his tally for this season to 97.
Two more success at Wellington yesterday allowed him to leapfrog Tyler Schiller (98) into the outright lead.
At Newcastle, he was aboard the Arrowfield-owned, John Thomson-trained Impunity, the $1.30 favourite, in the opening event, the Midway Maiden Handicap (1850 metres), and the result was never in doubt.
The son of Dundeel settled third-last in the small field, but at the top of the straight he quickly put the issue beyond doubt, scoring by 1.15 lengths.
The winner's previous two starts were at Newcastle, where he was runner-up on both occasions.
Bullock's second winner, The New Sinatra, trained by John O'Shea, was well deserved in race four, the Maiden Plate (1200m).
The three-year-old had been placed in his previous three starts at Kembla, Newcastle and Gosford. The winner was afforded a perfect run before before racing away to win by 1.74 lengths.
Former English apprentice Angus Villiers gave a polished front-running display to win on the promising Empress of Wonder in the sixth event, a 1200m Maiden Plate.
Well-credentialled in her two-year-old season, the now-three-year-old placed at Wyong recently, first-up after a 13-month spell.
Villiers had no hesitation in leading on Empress of Wonder and rode her perfectly to win by half a length.
Annabel Neasham trains the filly, which placed in black-type races in the autumn of 2023.
Empress of Wonder is the daughter of Newcastle Hall of Famer Choisir.
Newcastle-based Ash Morgan, third in the NSW jockeys' premiership, rode Ohtani to victory in the Super Maiden Handicap (1500m), to give him 91.5 winners for the season.
