Dean Yendall has done the hard yards, or kilometres to be more exact, which has enabled him to almost claim victory as the nation's premier jockey for the season.With a day until the close of the season, Yendall has the national title all but sewn up after a winning double at Caulfield on Saturday.He brought up 154.5 winners when Diggersanddealers ($10) scored a hard-fought victory in the Veronica Jamison Hcp (1800m) at Caulfield and in the following race, the Steve Walsh Hcp (1400m), made it 15
Dean Yendall has done the hard yards, or kilometres to be more exact, which has enabled him to almost claim victory as the nation's premier jockey for the season.
With a day until the close of the season, Yendall has the national title all but sewn up after a winning double at Caulfield on Saturday.
He brought up 154.5 winners when Diggersanddealers ($10) scored a hard-fought victory in the Veronica Jamison Hcp (1800m) at Caulfield and in the following race, the Steve Walsh Hcp (1400m), made it 155.5 on the Tony Noonan-trained Massoni ($8).
The double puts Yendall 3-1/2 wins ahead of Craig Newitt, who now needs to ride at least four winners at Sale on Sunday.
Yendall has had the Victorian title won for several weeks with 149.5 winners to Newitt's 132.
"My initial goal was to win the Victorian premiership and I have accomplished that no worries but then I realised the national was there to be won as well," Yendall said.
"I decided to go for it although you don't get anything for it except a well-done.
"I have been spinning around everywhere to try and win it."
Yendall has ridden in 1080 races this season with a strike rate of over 14 per cent and estimated that he has driven 80,000km around the state in the last 12 months.
His mounts have earned more than $3.4 million of which he is entitled to five per cent, plus $169 for losing rides.
He has another four rides at Warrnambool on Sunday while Newitt has eight rides at Sale.