AVDULLA V BOWMAN

State of Origin is a week away and its billed as ‘Mate Against Mate’ and ‘State Against State’ well a similar fight is brewing in the Sydney jockey’s premiership between two mates and guess what they are from different states.

Brenton Avdulla and Hugh Bowman arrived at Canterbury yesterday for a day’s work with the former Victorian now restaurateur Avdulla leading the Sydney jockey’s premiership by 9 ½ wins as he chases his maiden premiership.

He wasted no time booting home the first winner Beau Geste $7 for Darren Beadman after giving the son of Street Cry a perfect steer from barrier one.

Hugh Bowman had the chance to hit straight back as he partnered the hot pot Envy Of All $1.8 in the second race for the newly appointed Godolphin head trainer James Cummings but she was slightly disappointing finishing third behind the Gary Portelli prepared flying filly Lipizzan.

Avdulla combined again with Darren Beadman in the Godolphin blue to win the third aboard Ghostly to stretch the margin to 11.5 wins and that’s the way it remained for the afternoon.

Both top horsemen won’t improve their numbers this weekend as they are both chasing the big riches and group one glory in Queensland and that’s the question for both men, how many meetings will they miss before the season’s end?

Bowman is on record as saying he’ll have a good look and think following the Brisbane winter carnival while Avdulla has confided to those close to him he’ll head to Brisbane on selected days if he picks up rides that he believes are major chances in the big days otherwise he’ll look to stay in Sydney and attempt to increase his margin.

“Hugh is certainly going to keep me honest, but it gives us both something to concentrate on” Avdulla said on Wednesday at Canterbury.

Avdulla firmed in the betting following yesterdays double into $1.35 to snare his first premiership with Bowman easing to $3.4.