With a day remaining in the 2022/23 Australian racing season, Tumut product and Newcastle-based hoop Aaron Bullock has claimed the Australian Jockey’s Premiership.
Riding at Muswellbrook on Sunday, Bullock brought up a winning treble to seal the result, emerging victorious on the Cody Morgan-trained Social Outcast ($2.25), the Matthew Smith-trained Bullbarrow ($1.50), and the Patrick Cleave-trained La Vesuvius ($1.90).
Bullock, who rode a winning double at Newcastle on Saturday, entered Sunday’s meeting 2 ½ wins clear of Queenslander and his closest rival, Jimmy Orman, who could not register a winner across 13 rides at Eagle Farm and Toowoomba on Saturday.
On a huge Sunday for both jockeys, Orman landed a double on the Sunshine Coast card, guiding the Chris Anderson-trained Don’t Cha Wish ($1.50) and Stuart Kendrick-trained Vetta Velocita ($4.80) to victories, which means he finishes the season on a very respectable 201 wins.
With his 204 1/2 wins for the season, Bullock still has a full book of rides ahead of him at Wellington on Monday and is safely ahead of Orman.
From early in the season, Bullock had made it known that he wanted to win the 2022/23 Australian Jockey’s title, and he was just thrilled to bring up such an enormous achievement.
“I’ve had my sights set on it for a little bit now, and geez, it’s been a tough year,” Bullock said.
“It’s been testing, and I’ve had a lot going on, both on and off the track, and it’s great to get the reward because I’ve definitely put in the hard yards.”
Bullock is a popular commodity for trainers, and he thanked everyone for legging him aboard their gallopers in 2022/23.
“If I didn’t have the support, it wouldn’t be possible,” Bullock said.
“I’ve got a lot of good trainers out there that back me and give me plenty of good rides.
“I’ve got a good manager, and off the track as well, I’ve got a good family.
“Mum’s here today, she’s come up for a run, and I’d have Nan at home watching; she has been battling a little bit of health issues, so it was a big thing for me this year to try and achieve as much as I could while Nan’s still here watching me, so to you Nan, this is all for you.”
Premiership is the icing on the cake
It’s been a season to remember for Bullock, who’s ridden at an astonishing 25.7% strike rate while earning connections over $5 million in prize money.
Some of his highlights include returning home to Tumut in December and bringing up a double on the club’s famous Boxing Day program.
He broke through to win his first Tamworth Cup on the Lyle Chandler-trained Banju in April, while he helped the Paul Messara-trained Akasawa to a famous victory in the Gunnedah Cup in May.
Earlier this year, he also won the 2023 Hunter-North West Country Championships qualifier on Akasawa and the Northern Wildcard Country Championships qualifier at Scone aboard the Cody Morgan-trained Talbragar.
Bullock caps off a remarkable rise through the ranks
Aaron Bullock has always had the ability, but his weight and some tough life decisions early in his career meant he didn’t fulfil his potential.
After being ‘led astray’ at times, he once gave away riding to work a construction job, spending three years as a labourer on the Hunter Expressway.
Things turned around, though, and a breakthrough win on the David Atkins-trained Jonker in the 2017 Wyong Magic Millions reaffirmed his status as one of the best heavyweight riders in the state.
Bullock rode 107 winners that season before spending a significant period on the sideline following a nine-month suspension.
Still, he battled back after bringing up 34 winners in 2018/19, riding 101 in 2019/20 and 106 in 2020/21.
A competitive jockey by nature, Bullock was gutted to fall short of his third consecutive century in 2021/22, registering 92 winners.
Still, he well and truly made up for it this season, becoming the first NSW jockey since Allan Robinson rode 222 ½ in 2005/06 to break the double century marker.
Bullock was driven this year, and he has associated his newfound success with working with leading jockey manager Drew Smith and his fiancé, Amelia Denby.
“My manager Drew Smith has done a tremendous job keeping me focussed and getting me on the right horses,” Bullock previously told NSW Country and Picnic Racing in a previous story.
“Plus, what do they always say? Behind every good man is a great woman,” Bullock quipped.
“Honestly, since I’ve been with her, life has been unreal. She keeps me grounded, and some people will tell you I used to get led astray pretty easily, but she’s been good for me.”
Despite claiming the Australian Jockey’s Title, Bullock won’t be slowing down, and he has his sights set on the $3 million Big Dance on the first Tuesday in November, where he will partner Akasawa.
After that, he and Denby will get married, and only then will Australia’s best jockey get a chance to sit back, relax, and look back on what has been one of the greatest ever seasons by any NSW jockey.
For the Racing Australia jockey’s premiership, click here.
