Ibrahim Gundogdu will resume his career at Moonee Valley on Saturday after spending nearly a year on the sidelines due to bureaucratic red tape.Turkish-born Gundogdu's work visa expired 12 months ago and he was not relicensed.However he recently gained permanent residency in Australia which allowed him to reapply for his licence which was granted by the Racing Victoria Limited licensing committee on Thursday.The 22-year-old resumes his apprenticeship with Cranbourne trainer Mick Kent who has eng
Ibrahim Gundogdu will resume his career at Moonee Valley on Saturday after spending nearly a year on the sidelines due to bureaucratic red tape.
Turkish-born Gundogdu's work visa expired 12 months ago and he was not relicensed.
However he recently gained permanent residency in Australia which allowed him to reapply for his licence which was granted by the Racing Victoria Limited licensing committee on Thursday.
The 22-year-old resumes his apprenticeship with Cranbourne trainer Mick Kent who has engaged him for two rides at Moonee Valley, Clandon in the Travis Harrison Apprentices Cup (1514m) and Zoomin in the Dominant Hiskens Cup (1514m).
Gundogdu has a good record on Clandon having been aboard the mare in six of her eight wins including her latest at the corresponding Moonee Valley meeting last year.
His last winner was on the Kent-trained All Cheval at Sandown on July 29 last year.
Last season he finished equal second in the Melbourne apprentices' premiership with Dean Holland with 32 wins, one behind Nick Hall.
While Hall and Holland are now senior riders, Gundogdu still claims two kilograms in town but has lost his allowance on provincial and country tracks.
Gundogdu, who came to Australia from Turkey as a 17-year-old, learned to ride at a Gold Coast riding school run by Kent's brother Rodney.
Mick Kent subsequently took Gundogdu on as his stable apprentice after his brother recommended the young rider.
Gundogdu has been a success story, riding around 140 winners, and his return is timely after Kent recently severed ties with another stable apprentice Brent Evans who has returned to Queensland.
Gundogdu has kept fit by riding trackwork for Kent while not being allowed to ride in races.
Fourth-up this preparation Clandon was runner-up to Tiakinui in a Ballarat 1600m heat of the Winter Championship Series in heavy going on June 24.
But last time out she was well beaten when 10th on a slow track to stablemate Philda over 1500m at Moonee Valley on July 3.
Zoomin, a Listed 1900m winner at Rotorua in New Zealand last October, has had three starts for the Kent stable including a close second to Forbidden Quest over 1800m at Sandown when first-up on April 24.
The Pupil gelding has had a seven-week freshen-up since running seventh to Black And Bent over 2500m at Flemington.