Racing: Young gun snares ride

Photo / Thinkstock

Jake Noonan got the ride on I Am The General by accident and has made sure he kept it.

The Shane Nichols-trained colt could land the young jockey the biggest win of his career today in the A$2 million ($2.16 million) Magic Millions Classic at the Gold Coast.

"I went to Ballarat for the reverse way Magic Millions jump-outs to trial one of Mark Riley's and when I was on my way up there, Shane Nichols said 'I've got a 2-year-old trialling too, can you spin him around?"' Noonan said.

Noonan trialled both horses and was so taken by the effort of I Am The General that he chased the ride for the Ballarat Clockwise Classic.

He has kept the ride with I Am The General third on debut at Ballarat on a wet track before beating subsequent city winner Chivalry at Flemington last start.

"When he won like he did [at Flemington] I knew there would have been plenty of other boys in the rooms ringing up trying to get on him," Noonan said.

"I'm very thankful to Shane and the owners for keeping me on in such a big race."

Noonan isn't the only young jockey chasing the biggest win of his career today, with Nathan Berry on favourite Unencumbered.

Berry's twin brother Tommy has won the Magic Millions twice and it was his first win on Karuta Queen three years ago that launched his career. Tommy Berry will ride the Gai Waterhouse-trained Echo Gal.

- AAP