Group One-winning Kiwi apprentice Sam Weatherley will make a fleeting visit to Australia this month to ride in an apprentice series race.

 

Weatherley, 20, has accepted an invitation to ride in the National Apprentice Series race at Doomben on March 18 and is relishing the opportunity to again ride in Australia.

 

Weatherley, who won the Gr.1 Telegraph (1200m) on Enzo's Lad at Trentham in 2018, rode out of Sydney last season, winning 27 races and finished second on the metropolitan apprentices table there.

 

"This will be my first time riding in Brisbane and I'm really looking forward to the opportunity," said Weatherley, a two-time champion apprentice in New Zealand.

 

"I really enjoyed riding in Sydney and it will be good to get back to Australia to ride again, even just for the one meeting. It's a chance for me to meet a lot of the Australian apprentices, catch up with some old rivals and make some new contacts in Brisbane.

 

"It's a privilege for me to go over there, representing New Zealand in Australia."

 

Weatherley is still able to claim 1.5kg in Brisbane and will ride down to 54kg at the meeting.

 

Fellow Matamata jockey Jasmine Fawcett will ride in the Sandown leg of the National Apprentice Series on March 25.