Visiting apprentices battle at Sandown

Visiting apprentices Josh Bryan and Fred Kersley will be looking to open their Victorian accounts with a winner when they make their Melbourne debuts at Ladbrokes Park on Wednesday.

Bryan, a talented UK rider on loan to Danny O'Brien, got his first taste of Australian racing at Yarra Valley on Saturday and will chase his first victory Down Under aboard My Psychiatrist in an 1800m Handicap.

The teenager said he was excited to be following in the footsteps of Oisin Murphy and Keiran Shoemark, who also spent time with O'Brien en route to successful domestic careers in the UK.

"Oisin and Keiran have done wonders back home since they came out here, I think they got quite a bit out of the experience so I hope I will too," Bryan said.

"We had a third on the weekend and hopefully we can go two better tomorrow, she (My Psychiatrist) should have a very good chance, it's a tough race but she's prepped up well."

And Western Australian apprentice Kersley, who will shortly begin a three-month riding stint at Lindsay Park, will take a book of four rides on Wednesday, including key chances She's Popular and Domesticated for the Hayes, Hayes and Dabernig team.

The grandson of Cox Plate and Caulfield Cup-winning trainer Fred Kersley has been a revelation in Perth, notching more than 25 winners this season.

Another visiting apprentice, Japanese young gun Ryusei Sakai, took his first Australian rides at Yarra Valley on Saturday but felt the wrath of stewards for a ride at Hamilton on Monday, walking away with a seven-meting suspension for careless riding.

Story by James Tzaferis for Racing.com