Stockdale's early spring opportunities

A long-range plan to be fit and in form at the beginning of spring is paying dividends for apprentice Tom Stockdale, who is booked for Group 2 rides over consecutive weekends.

The 24-year-old will ride King Magnus in Saturday's Feehan Stakes (1600m) at The Valley before again teaming up with Robbie Griffiths and Mathew de Kock aboard Najem Suhail in next weekend's Bobbie Lewis Quality (1200m) at Flemington.

The opportunities come off the back of a brilliant winter for the young jockey, who has ridden 23 winners since the beginning of June, including 12 already this season.

Injury plagued in the early years of his career, Stockdale said his recent form is a result of being able to build momentum in the saddle without interruption.

"It's probably been a year in the works to get to this stage," Stockdale said.

"It was a plan by myself and Brady (McArdle, manager) to wriggle my way into some of those bigger stables by riding work and trials and we just had to wait for the right time for it to come off, with other highly sought-after apprentices in there before me.

"I'd always start to build up good momentum and then there'd either be a broken bone or a concussion that would halt things, but the last 12 months have been pretty much injury free, which has been great.

"I've had very few suspensions as well, which has been great, so I've had consistent riding and consistent opportunities.

"I think having a little holiday before the start of the season which allowed me to come into the season fresh, whilst still putting in the work, has really helped." 

King Magnus proved something of a pin-up horse for Stockdale during the winter and, while the gelding is rated a $35 chance with Sportsbet in Saturday's weight-for-age feature, the jockey is bullish about his chances.

The pair has combined for two wins and a third from four outings together and Stockdale said he trusts the eight-year-old to turn up against his more-favoured opposition.

In his two G1 attempts to date, King Magnus finished less than a length off Superstorm in the 2021 Cantala Stakes (1600m) and was beaten by four lengths by Mr Brightside in last year's Doncaster Mile (1600m).

"He's been such a good horse to me, as have Robbie and Mat de Kock, who have supplied me with a lot of rides and plenty of winners," he said.

"I won on him a couple of times and that helped get me kickstarted in town again to be honest.

"I'm really excited to ride him on Saturday - it's a quality race and he's got a wide draw, but he always turns up and runs his best.

"He tracked around The Valley really well last start - he's only a small horse and there's not much underneath you but he makes up for it with his ticker."

The quest to ride Najem Suhail at Flemington will come with its own unique set of challenges, as Stockdale attempts to ride at 53kg for the first time in several years.

The six-year-old is undefeated when Stockdale has taken the reins, with dominant wins The Valley and Flemington in recent weeks.

Stockdale said a strict fitness and dieting regime is already yielding results and he's confident he will make the featherweight comfortably.

"In the last three weeks I've been consumed by dieting and training - everything I've been doing has revolved around riding him at 53kg," he said.

"I haven't ridden that weight in about three years.

"I'm not leaving any stone unturned because the last thing I want to do is get to the day and be doing it tough, I want to be going into it feeling 100 per cent."