Apprentice Celine Gaudrey has put away a harrowing couple of weeks in March to boot home four winners at Sandown.
And Gaudrey hopes to parlay that into a first Cup victory when she partners Port Phillip in the Listed Mornington Cup (2400m) on Saturday.
Gaudrey was knocked around mentally when her partner, fellow jockey Ethan Brown was injured in a fall in the Australian Guineas at Flemington on March 4 and later when Jamie Kah was fell at that track the following week.
After taking some time off, Gaudrey has returned to the saddle in fine form and in the space of four weeks has ridden nine city winners.
Her quartet on Wednesday, including a dead-heat on Mothereens, came courtesy of Gunna Gunna for Chris Calthorpe the Rhonda Mangan-trained Skinny Dip and Globe for Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr.
Gaudrey admitted heading to Sandown on Wednesday feeling nervous knowing that she had a good book of rides.
The quartet took Gaudrey’s city tally to 20 for her career and 17 for the season, just three behind Carleen Hefel in the Apprentice Jockeys’ Premiership.
“It’s definitely a goal of mine to win the apprentice premiership, so hopefully I can keep it going,” Gaudrey said.
“This morning I had a little bit of nerves coming here. I don’t really get nervous, but I had a really good book of rides.
“After I got through my first one, I was pretty happy, but you’ve just got to shake it off as you’re getting paid to do this, it’s your job.
“You have to make sure you’re doing it for the owners.
They’re paying lots of money, so you have to make sure you are switched on.”
Gaudrey is apprenticed to Mornington trainer Pat Carey and is the only apprentice to have a ride in the Mornington Cup.
She said she received a phone call from Port Phillip’s trainer earlier in the week that there was a possibility she would be riding the stayer.
“Thankfully I do get to ride him,” Gaudrey said.
“I’ve never ridden him before. I’ll study all his videos, but it’s good to get this opportunity and it’s exciting, especially as it is my home track.”