Champion jockey Darren Gauci might be having his last ride in Ballarat on Wednesday.
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Gauci has announced his retirement, with Saturday, February 4, most likely his last day in the saddle.
He is taking a coaching role with Racing Victoria’s apprentice jockey training program.
The 51-year-old has just the one riding engagement on the Ballarat Turf Club program – Ready Street for Bendigo trainer Brian Gentle in the Hygain Benchmark64 Handicap, 1400m.
With an interrupted racing schedule in Ballarat this season, Gauci has only ridden at the track sparingly of late.
He latest Ballarat win was Inference for Team Hawkes in May last year.
However, Gauci will always have a special place in the BTC history as a two-time winner of the Ballarat Cup.
He saluted on the John Sadler-trained Pressman’s Choice in 1989 and Aquiver for John Hawkes in track record time in 2011.
Gauci will retire with 35 group 1 successes and more than 2500 wins.
He won four four Melbourne premiership titles, including three as an apprentice in the 1980s.
BALLARAT trainer Archie Alexander goes to Wednesday's meeting on his home track as one of the state's in-form trainers.
He landed a double at Terang on Tuesday to give him three wins from his latest three runners.
The sequence begin with the promising Wheal Leisure ($5) in a benchmark78, 2040m, at Moonee Valley on Saturday.
The Terang double was produced by import Fastnet Latina ($7.50) in a maiden, 1200m, and Chippenham ($5) in a benchmark70,1200m.
The Irish-bred Fastnet Latina, which had also been an acceptor for Ballarat but is now scratched, was having his first Australian start after three runs in the United States.
Alexander has had fives win in his past 10 runners.
He will be hoping to keep the run going with the lightly raced Elrada in the Sportsbet’s New Racing Form Benchmark70 Handicap, 1100m, in Ballarat.
BARRY and Glen James unveil a new stable addition in the Porter Plant Benchmark64 Handicap, 1600m.
Former Chris Waller-trained Mathison has his first start since July last year, when unplaced in Sydney.
The five-year-old did his early racing in Victoria and has one win and five minor placings in nine starts.
THE Ballarat track rated a good4 with the rail out 11m from 600m to the winning post, and true for the remainder of the circuit.
Ballarat Turf Club will back up quickly, with its next race meeting on Tuesday.