Yuill closing premiership gap

Kyra Yuill has an opportunity to close the gap on champion Perth jockey William Pike in the Bunbury Turf Club Rider of the Year premiership when racing resumes for the first time since the XXXX Gold Bunbury Cup tomorrow.

With 12 Bunbury winners, Yuill trails Pike by three but could take the lead with victory in four or more of her five scheduled Wednesday rides.

Yuill guides a pair of strong South West chances later in the day in the form of Simon Foster-trained gelding Been Shafted and Ross and Clint Price four-year-old Fair Haze.

Been Shafted has placed in all but one of its eight summer and autumn gallops and is looking to bounce back from a disappointing fifth place run to Young Knight in the $15,000 Gannons Handicap (1675m) on Cup Day earlier this month.

Yuill also has form in the saddle of Been Shafted after riding the horse to a win and a second in consecutive January outings.

Fair Haze has also enjoyed a strong summer in partnership with Yuill, collecting three thirds and a first at Bunbury before running eleventh to Mac It Is against a strong metropolitan field over 1600m at Ascot last week.

While back to a more favourable 1420m distance tomorrow, Yuill and Fair Haze will need to overcome top weight and a nightmare barrier draw but have the class to win from a so-so field.

Yuill’s other three rides come in maidens aboard My Ava (Race One) and Howya Goin’ Now (Race Three) and a metropolitan maiden onboard Commodoro (Race Four).

Commodoro’s impressive trial form translated into a third place finish at Mt Barker earlier this month and the Ernie Fagan three-year-old could be a chance carrying second bottom weight.