Favorit Lakes gives Bullock an early shot at the championship

Bullock was excited to see what Scone’s canter could produce in second place in the mile.

“You never want to say good horses come back better, but I think they do,” Bullock said. “The first thing he did yesterday was huge.

“He had a sore leg but to Paul and Leah’s credit they took their time with him. Sometimes horses lead you down a blind alley where you think they’re fine when they’re not, but they took their time and got him right.”

“His trials are never flash. I had him float around and people probably thought he wasn’t at his best, but he showed it first. And he’ll be even better at second in the mile.”

Bullock was relieved when Know Thyself was thrown into gate four on the tight circuit at Wyong.

“They held up the barriers [on Wednesday] and I was sitting there all morning refreshing the web and he ended up drawing barrier four and it couldn’t have gone better,” he said.

“If it had been any other track it wouldn’t have mattered – we won from the outside barrier the other day – but just around Wyong it helps to have a good lot.

The Lakes opportunity comes as Bullock sees great prospects in the fall with the Damien Lane-trained Oakfield Jupiter in the Provincial-Midway Series and Messara-Gavranicha Kosciuszko winner Clear Thinking in the Country.

“The next three weeks for me is just keeping in the rhythm of riding,” he said. “I’ve just come back from Christmas, I’ll have the Australia Day weekend off, then it’s on to the championships for me because I know at 57 I’m going to have to ride a few horses.”

“Bruce Mackenzie’s horse, Oakfield Jupiter, is a really good horse and will almost be a favorite in the final if he gets in. Then I’m riding the Clear Thinking in the Country qualifier. That will start at $1.50. Paul put her right after The Hunter because if she won another one she’d be ineligible. She’s just as good for the right horse, she looks just as good.”

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“It’s just about getting my body as fit and as healthy as I can to get to the qualifiers and championships in February.”

On Saturday, Bullock also rides Age Of Sail ($11, Race 4) and Hanau ($10, Race 5) for Newcastle trainers Kris Lees and Mark Minervini. Bullock rode Age Of Sail to victory in the Port Macquarie Cup in October and has since finished unplaced in three stakes races.

“He’s not an easy horse to drive,” he said. “Anything you want to get out of him, you have to ask for it. But it’s the right distance for him and a big drop in class. He’s been in some pretty tough races lately, so hopefully he can get back to form.”