Brett Prebble all set for Melbourne spring rides

The Spring Racing Carnival received a potential fillip yesterday when it emerged that champion jockey Brett Prebble was likely to be a regular in Melbourne....

The Spring Racing Carnival received a potential fillip yesterday when it emerged that champion jockey Brett Prebble was likely to be a regular in Melbourne, reports Racing Victoria.

Last year’s Melbourne Cup-winning rider has been granted a licence to ride in Hong Kong for the 2013/14 season, but his commitments don’t commence until 13 November.

That frees up the 35-year-old to have an increased presence in Victoria from the start of the new racing season.

Prebble scored the biggest win of his career last November when he teamed with the Lloyd Williams-owned, Robert Hickmott-trained Green Moon to win the Emirates Melbourne Cup.

He has made hit-and-run raids on Australian carnivals in recent seasons when released by the Hong Kong Jockey Club, his other major success being the 2010 Golden Slipper aboard the Mathew Ellerton and Simon Zahra-trained Crystal Lily.

A native of Victoria, Prebble crafted a promising career in Melbourne before taking up a contract in Hong Kong more than a decade ago.

There he has risen to become one of the world’s premier riders and on three occasions has finished a close second to Douglas Whyte in the Hong Kong Jockeys’ Premiership.

Prebble was in the international spotlight in late May when he partnered star sprinter Lucky Nine to victory over Aussie speedster Bel Sprinter in the Group 1 KrisFlyer International Sprint in Singapore.

Prebble is likely to renew his association with Lucky Nine in Melbourne with the Caspar Fownes-trained sprinter to be set for the Group 1 Sportingbet Manikato Stakes (1200m) and Group 1 Patinack Farm Classic (1200m) during the Spring Racing Carnival.

Prebble was one of three Australian jockeys to receive HKJC riding contracts, which were announced yesterday.

Zac Purton, who currently sits second on the jockeys’ premiership, five wins astern Whyte, has been retained along with Tye Angland, who sits ninth on the premiership.