Lakes favourite gives Bullock early drive for Championships chances

2 months ago 14

By Craig Kerry

January 8, 2026 — 6.00pm

Gun country jockey Aaron Bullock says horses like Know Thyself help put him in “a different zone” in his battle to make weight.

And with the prospect of exciting chances to come in Country and Provincial-Midway Championship qualifiers, Bullock is not lacking for further motivation.

Aaron Bullock after winning on Know Thyself at Randwick on December 20.

Bullock will try to ride $3.10 TAB favourite Know Thyself at 56.5 kilograms in the $500,000 The Lakes Mile at Wyong on Saturday. It is the same weight he got down to when riding the Paul Messara and Leah Gavranich-trained galloper a half-kilogram over when winning the $1 million Country Championships final (1400m) at Randwick last April.

The cut is a stretch for Bullock, who has dominated the country circuit in recent years despite not being able to ride light. He won the NSW premiership last season with 127 winners, was a half-win second in 2023-24 on 137 and claimed the national crown in 2022-23 with 207.5.

He steered Know Thyself from a wide gate to a narrow first-up victory at 57.5kg in a benchmark 100 handicap over 1400m at Randwick on December 20 and was up for a post-Christmas push to stick with him on Saturday. The Autumn Sun gelding has eight wins from 12 starts and is being aimed at group races this campaign.

“I don’t get down to this weight often, but for a horse like him, you just get into a different zone,” Bullock said.

Know Thyself, far right, wins at Randwick on December 20.

“He’s been a good horse for my career. That’s seven wins I’ve had on him now and that’s the most I’ve ever had on one horse, and hopefully more to come. It will be a lean couple of days, but that’s all right. I’ll get there.”

Know Thyself’s pre-Christmas win came after an aborted spring campaign following a hoof injury.

Bullock was excited to see what the Scone galloper could produce second-up over the mile.

“You never want to say good horses have come back better, but I reckon he has,” Bullock said. “What he did first-up the other day was enormous.

“He had a sore foot but to Paul and Leah’s credit, they just took their time with him. Sometimes horses can lead you on a bit of a blind path, when you think they are all right when they are not, but they took their time and got him right.

“His trials are never flash. I just let him cruise around and people were probably thinking he wasn’t at his best, but he showed that first-up. And second up at the mile, he will be even better.”

Bullock was relieved when Know Thyself drew handy in gate four on the tight Wyong circuit.

“They delayed the barrier draws [on Wednesday] and I was sitting there refreshing the website all morning, and he ends up drawing barrier four, and that couldn’t have worked out better,” he said.

“If it was any other track, it wouldn’t matter – we won from an outside barrier the other day – but just around Wyong, it just helps to have a good draw.”

The opportunity in the Lakes comes as Bullock eyes great prospects in the autumn with Damien Lane-trained Oakfield Jupiter in the Provincial-Midway series and Messara-Gavranich’s Kosciuszko winner Clear Thinking in the Country titles.

“The next three weeks for me is just keeping in the groove of riding,” he said. “I’ve just come back from Christmas off, I’ll have a weekend off for Australia Day weekend, then for there it’s knuckle down for the Championships because I know I’m going to have to ride a few horses at 57.

“The horse of Bruce Mackenzie’s, Oakfield Jupiter, she’s a really good horse and she will nearly start favourite in the final if she gets in. Then I’m riding Clear Thinking in the Country qualifier. She will start a $1.50. Paul put her straight out after The Hunter because if she won another one, she’d be ineligible. She’s a proper horse and just as good as Know Thyself, so I’m looking forward to that.

“It’s just about getting my body as fit and healthy as I can coming into the February qualifiers and the Championships.”

On Saturday, Bullock also rides Age Of Sail ($11, race four) and Hanau ($10, race five) for Newcastle trainers Kris Lees and Mark Minervini respectively. Bullock rode Age Of Sail to victory in the Port Macquarie Cup in October and he has since finished unplaced in three stakes races.

“He’s not any easy horse to ride,” he said. “Everything you want to get out of him, you’ve got to ask for. But it’s the right distance for him and a big drop back in grade. He’s been in some pretty tough races of late, so hopefully he can bounce back to form.”