Grima and Nock’s premiership battle reaches Warwick Farm showdown

Nock has led the title race for most of the season but Grima has seized the momentum with a treble in Tazima, Perfect Justice and Benevac at Royal Randwick last Saturday that takes her to 33 wins and a three-win lead with just five meetings remaining.

Grima has the backing of the all-powerful Chris Waller stable with four rides for the champion trainer at the midweek meeting including Aurora Boom ($7) in the opener, the Racing And Sports Plate (1100m).

Her other rides for the Waller stable are Leonessa ($19) in the Robrick Lodge Plate (1100m), Snitzel Miss ($10) in the Asahi Super Dry Handicap (1400m) and Full Hao ($10) in the Ole Kirk At Vinery Stud Handicap (1600m).

Grima rides the Tracey Bartley-trained Dusty Bay ($5) in the TAB Handicap (1400m), Ciaron Maher’s Stormland ($9.50) in the Irresistible Pools and Spas Handicap (1100m) and the Theresa Bateup-trained Brannum ($71) in the Agency Real Estate Handicap (1600m).

Grima is poised to become only the fourth female apprentice after Rachel King (2017/18), Winona Costin (2014-15) and Kathy O’Hara (2004-05) to win the Sydney premiership.

But Nock will be keen to reignite his title defence with six rides at Warwick Farm, all from different trainers, with his best chances probably the Mick Price and Michael Kent Junior-trained Deep Pleasure ($6) in the Ole Kirk At Vinery Stud Handicap, and Let’s Go Again ($7.50) for the Kerry Parker stable in the Irresistible Pools and Spas Handicap.

Nock also partners Peter Snowden’s Divine Offering ($21) in the Racing And Sports Plate, Gone To Gowings ($23) for the Clarry Conners stable in the Robrick Lodge Plate,  the Joel Wilkes-trained Danish Fortune ($13) in the Agency Real Estate Handicap and Voracious, trained by Mack Griffith, in the TAB Handicap.

Nock is attempting to join an elite group to win multiple Sydney apprentice premierships this century.

Zac Lloyd claimed successive Sydney titles in 2022-23 and 2023-24, as did Robbie Dolan (2018-19, 2019-20), Sam Clipperton (2012-13, 2013-14), and Mitch Newman claimed his second premiership in 2000-01 after winning the title in 1998-99.

Waller, with 176 wins already this season, is also on a record chase at the Warwick Farm meeting.

The Hall of Famer needs another 13 winners to equal his all-time record for most Sydney wins in a season when he prepared 189 winners in 2017-18.

Waller is represented in five races tomorrow including Saloon Passage, the $3 favourite in the Asahi Super Dry Handicap.