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Jean Van Overmeire has a handy book of rides at Randwick, including promising juvenile Park Avenue.
In-form apprentice Jean Van Overmeire will be out to strike a blow for his boss when he teams up with talented two-year-old Park Avenue at Randwick.
Up until the start of Friday's Goulburn meeting, Van Overmeire had booted home three winners from his past nine rides - a double for Tulloch Lodge trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott at Kembla Grange on Tuesday and a metropolitan victory for Jean Dubois at Canterbury midweek.
Michael Freedman has been rapt to see his stable apprentice making the most of his opportunities and he is happy to offer him another aboard debut winner Park Avenue on Saturday.
"He's riding really well Jean. His strike rate over the last two or three weeks would be as good as any jockey in NSW," Freedman said.
"It's good he's getting the opportunities, not just from us but some of the other big stables. Gai Waterhouse has been using him quite a bit.
"He's a very hard worker and he's a good rider and I'm happy to see him getting some good results."
Van Overmeire has rides in seven of the nine races at Randwick and will kick off aboard Park Avenue in the Ironmark Handicap (1100m).
The Fastnet Rock youngster did a good job when partnered by Van Overmeire to score at Wyong where he had to squeeze between runners and with the addition of blinkers on Saturday, Freedman expects the gelding to run well.
"I thought it was full of merit for a two-year-old having his first start. He had to duck back to the inside and take a narrow gap, which a lot of two-year-olds probably wouldn't do," Freedman said.
"He is still a bit of a work in progress but shows nice, natural ability.
"Obviously, it's a big step going from a maiden win to an open Saturday but at this time of year, if they're progressive enough they can still run well.
"If he does, we may give consideration to sending him up to Brisbane for a Listed race there in a couple of weeks' time."
A field of 10 will contest the opening race for the two-year-olds, including Hawkes Racing first starter Sacred Field who is unbeaten in two barrier trials.
