Boom times as apprentice Tegan Harrison strides ahead in title race

TEGAN Harrison will find out this week whether she has an opportunity to win the apprentices’ title for a second time.

Tegan Harrison with trainer Tony Gollan and his partner Jane Ormsby after the apprentice

TEGAN Harrison will find out this week whether her apprenticeship will be extended to the end of the season, giving her the opportunity to win the junior title for a second time.

After having her career-best day in the saddle with Group 2 success on Temple Of Boom and a Listed win on Brave Ali at Eagle Farm on Saturday, Harrison leads Anthony Allen by eight, with a further three back to Aidan Holt in the apprentice title race.

Her apprenticeship is due to expire this week, but officials are likely to grant her an extension to the end of the season, owing to the three months she was sidelined last year.

“I would love to win the title again, for sure,” Harrison said.

“But apart from that, I also still have a lot to learn and having the apprentice school there is a huge help.”

Harrison’s form has soared since she shed her metropolitan claim with a Doomben double late last month.

She had endured a lean patch in the city as the milestone drew within reach.

Tegan Harrison after her Group 2 success on Temple Of Boom. Picture: Darren England

“It was really riding on me. I was putting a lot of pressure on myself,” she said. “But I was proud with the way I dealt with it.

“I spoke to a lot of people, including Jeff Lloyd, my boyfriend Ben Hull and Rachel Mason and they all said I would ride better without it and they were right.”

The young rider, who set a record mark for a female in Brisbane last season, said Lloyd was a constant source of inspiration.

“When I came back after my time off last year I went to Jeff and told him I needed to improve and asked for advice,” she said.

“He was just so generous. He explained to me a lot of the things that go into making a good ride. When you first start out, you sit on them and if you get the split it’s a good ride. Jeff taught me about pace and getting a horse into a rhythm.”

Harrison also singled out Tony Gollan for the faith he had in choosing her for Temple Of Boom.

“You don’t expect to hear you’re getting on a horse like that. In fact, when Tony rang and offered me the ride, I don’t think I even thanked him, I just said, ‘Yep, OK’, because I was kind of gobsmacked. I was just so excited.”

Tegan Harrison (black cap) gets a decent jump away on eventual winner Brave Ali on Saturday. Picture: Darren England.