Experienced Albury-based jockey Jason Lyon will travel just under 5000 kilometres to ride at three different meetings in the space of four days this week.
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Lyon (pictured right) will have his first ever Sydney metropolitan ride when he partners Mnementh in the $130,000 C,G&E Benchmark 78 Handicap (1200m) at Rosehill on Saturday.
The day before, Lyon has five rides at Townsville, including Valley Rattler in the $105,000 3YO Northern Jewel (1300m).
A busy four-day schedule will conclude with a trip home to Albury, where he has a strong book of rides on Monday.
The 4627 kilometre journey is all part of the fun for Lyon.
"It's good to be busy," Lyon said.
"Most winters I do a bit of travelling. Last year I went up to Alice Springs for the carnival, then to Darwin, Broome and then Townsville for three months.
"I'll be here (in Albury) for a while but I'm happy to slip up and down wherever I can ride.
"The only state or territory I haven't ridden a winner now is the ACT, I've never ridden there but I want to ride a winner there."
Lyon will drive to Melbourne on Thursday, before boarding a direct flight to Townsville. The trip started by wanting a ride a mate's horse but ended with five rides, including one in the $105,000 feature.
"I wanted to get up there to ride a mate's horse, called Chompers," Lyon explained.
"I spoke to a mate up there, Brad Hearne, who runs Tommy Button's stable, and with a feature race being on, he spoke to Tommy about putting me on them all so it's worked out well.
"The horse I'm riding in the feature, Valley Rattler, doesn't go too bad on his day. He goes alright."
Lyon's attention will then turn to Mnementh at Rosehill. He partnered the horse for his last-start second placing in the Wagga Town Plate and is excited by the opportunity to be aboard in Sydney.
"He run well, he let down quite well but the winner (Front Page) was in another league," Lyon said.
"I've never actually ridden in town in Sydney so I can't wait. It's going to be great.
"I galloped him (Tuesday) morning on the course proper here at Albury and he worked with Hardware Lane. It was great work. They went to the line together and my horse worked really good. They ran up pretty quick time.
"I expect him to run really well."
Lyon, who spent 10 years riding in Adelaide, has not taken long to establish himself within the Southern District riding ranks.
The 41-year-old, who has ridden more than 700 winners, is happy at Albury.
"I'm enjoying it. I've been here three months now and ticking along alright," he said.
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COROWA trainer Geoff Duryea has elected to head to Flemington, as expected, with Wagga Town Plate winner Front Page on Saturday.
Duryea decided not to accept in the group one Goodwood at Morphettville and will head to Flemington for the $160,000 listed Straight Six (1200m).
Apprentice jockey Lewis German will be reunited with Front Page, who has drawn barrier nine.
German has been on board for six of Front Page's 11 race starts, including his runaway victory in the listed Creswick Stakes at Flemington back in 2020.
Front Page opened up the $3.00 favourite for the race with TAB.
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FORMER leading Southern District jockey Blaike McDougall will get a good shot at securing his first group one win in Adelaide on Saturday.
McDougall will ride $6 chance In The Boat in the group one Goodwood (1200m) at Morphettville on Saturday.
Making the task considerably tougher is the barrier draw of 20. McDougall has been on board the four-year-old at his past two wins at Moonee Valley and the Sale Discovery.
McDougall also has a couple of nice rides at group three level on the same day.
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IT IS all systems go for Hardware Lane on Saturday.
The Albury three-year-old will chase back-to-back Highway wins when he steps out at Rosehill.
Tommy Berry takes over from James McDonald with Hardware Lane drawn 12.
He will form part of Mitch Beer's two-pronged Rosehill attack on Saturday, alongside Mnementh.
Hardware Lane is the early $3.70 favourite.
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YOUNG'S Tyler Schiller enjoyed the biggest moment of his racing career at Scone last Saturday.
Schiller landed his biggest win yet when he claimed the $200,000 group three Arrowfield Dark Jewel Classic (1400m) on the Bjorn Baker-trained roughie Bring The Ransom ($51).
It came on the back of a successful Wagga carnival for the former Southern District apprentice, who captured the Town Plate on Front Page.
Schiller is riding in brilliant form and holds a seven-win lead in the Sydney metropolitan apprentice jockey's premiership.
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A NUMBER of notable performers out of the Wagga Gold Cup carnival will step out over the weekend.
Among the more ambitious is the Matthew Smith-trained Esti Feny, who ran sixth in the Wagga Gold Cup, who will contest the $1 million group one Doomben Cup (2000m) on Saturday.
The former Hungarian is also in the Lord Mayors Cup at Rosehill on Saturday.
Wagga Gold Cup winner Aleas is headed to the $150,000 listed Lord Mayors Cup (2000m), where he will again clash with stablemare Irish Sequel.
Irish Songs, who ran seventh from the outside gate in the Wagga Town Plate, has accepted for a couple of races at Doomben on Saturday, one being the $250,000 BRC Sprint.
One of the more impressive wins of the carnival was Nick Olive's two-year-old, Kimberley Secrets, who downed older horses to win stylishly on debut.
The filly was nominated for Rosehill but did not accept, and is also among the nominations for the Silver Goblet Preview (1100m) at Dubbo on Sunday.
Manderboss, who ran a close second in the MTC Guineas, will contest the $130,000 3&4YO Benchmark 72 Handicap (1500m) at Rosehill.
Fangela and Miss Ostend are also entered at Rosehill.
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WHAT'S ON
GALLOPS
Monday: Albury (TAB)
TROTS
Friday: Wagga (TAB)
Tuesday: Albury (TAB)
DOGS
Friday: Wagga (TAB)