'We take each other to our limits' - Harry Davies thriving for apprentice duel

Teenage riding sensation Harry Davies has said winning the apprentice championship in his debut year would be a "massive bonus" as he looks to take his title duel with Benoit de la Sayette down to the wire.

Davies, 17, has taken racing by storm with 33 winners this season putting him three behind De la Sayette in the apprentice race before the evening action on Monday, with a big gap back to the rest.

The dual pony racing champion is attached to Andrew Balding's famed apprentice academy, which has produced champion apprentices William Buick, David Probert and Oisin Murphy, and believes challenging for the title will make him a better jockey.

"Benoit is a fantastic young rider who is at the Gosden yard for a reason, he's very competitive and we both take each other to our limits," said Davies.

"We've got good sportsmanship going and it's great because we're both working as hard as we can and competition only makes you better. My boss Andrew Balding has been fantastic and supported me and I've been getting some good outside rides, and hopefully I can keep delivering."

Benoit de la Sayette: locked in an apprentice title duel with Harry DaviesCredit: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)

Davies, who has ridden 45 winners in total with five to go until his claim is reduced to 3lb, is focused on laying down foundations for a long and successful career.

"The winners are flowing and it would be a massive bonus to win the championship but if it doesn't happen the bigger picture is trying to mould myself as a good jockey for the future and ready for when I lose my claim," he said.

"I'm only young and losing your claim can be a vital thing and I don't want it to go the wrong way. A claim is very useful and you've got to think, am I ready to lose it and go into the big world of being professional? I haven't actually had that much experience and it has all happened very quickly, so I've got to make sure I'm ready."

He added: "I'm just happy I'm making everybody proud. My mum has put an awful lot of effort into me and the support I'm getting is amazing really and long may it continue.

"The apprentice championship is good to have on your CV, but at the same time you see a lot of very successful jockeys that weren't champion apprentice."

Davies and De la Sayette will serve lengthy bans this month, 12 days [August 1, 3-12 & 14] and 14 days [August 7-20] respectively, before resuming their bids for a championship which concludes on October 15.

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