Freedman gets up in the last

Melbourne’s trainers’, jockeys’ and apprentices’ premierships all hinged on the last race of the 2008-09 season at Sandown Lakeside today, and it was season-long leader Lee Freedman who provided the headline finish.

Helped by a near-perfect ride from little-known 3kg apprentice Nathan Rose on $8 chance Charzoo, Freedman claimed his seventh metropolitan title and denied David Hayes his ninth – Freedman finished with 65 wins, Hayes with 64.

Hayes had joined his rival in the lead only last Wednesday and, despite having eight starters to Freedman’s two yesterday – and Freedman not having trained a city winner since Gibraltar Moon at Flemington on June 6 (he had only 19 runners between wins) – does not get a share of the award.

The jockeys’ premiership is shared with 71 wins by Victoria’s top riders, Damien Oliver and Craig Williams, who each had one winner today – Williams (eight rides) jumped clear when Dane The Rave ($6), trained by his father Allan, won the first race. “I was keen to get started, and I couldn’t have started better,” he said.

But ‘Ollie’ (six rides) reined him in when One Lucky Lady, trainer by Darren Weir, won the sixth. “Winners never quit and quitters never win,” Oliver said after his success. Earlier, Oliver finished second on Freedman’s only other runner for the day, Zacroona, behind All Cheval (Ibrahim Gundogdu).

It was Oliver’s eighth premiership and Williams’ fourth straight.

Nick Hall’s one win yesterday gave him 33 for the season and the apprentices’ premiership from Gundogdu (also one win yesterday) and Dean Holland (suspended) on 32.

Sydney has won more meeting (at Warwick Farm on Friday) to confirm its premier trainer – Gai  Waterhouse (83.5) leads Darley’s man Peter Snowden (82, in his first full season as a trainer). Neither had a winner at Canterbury yesterday.

The jockeys’ crown is a ‘no contest’, with Hugh Bowman well clear on 98 wins.