TOP Warrnambool apprentice jockey Laura Lafferty will skip sweets when she sits down to enjoy Christmas lunch with her family, as she prepares to ride at Caulfield on Boxing Day.
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Lafferty, 23, has been booked for three rides at Sunday's big metropolitan meeting.
The talented sportswoman will ride No Change, Derive and Think We're Due on the nine-race program.
"I'm not normally a big eater but I may have a bit extra of the main meal on Christmas Day," Lafferty told The Standard.
"It's for sure I will not have any sweets. I've got a bit of a sweet tooth, I love chocolate, but I will not have any on Christmas Day.
"I'm always mindful of my weight. I watch my diet pretty closely.
"The three rides I have on Boxing Day have high-weights which is good.
"It'll be the first time that I've ridden No Change, Derive and Think We're Due, so I really can't help you with how they will perform on Boxing Day."
Lafferty, a former North Warrnambool Eagles netballer, returned to Warrnambool two weeks ago after having a three-month stint in Sydney with top Randwick trainer John O'Shea.
She rode her longest-priced winner and first Sydney metropolitan victory when Real Time Warrior won at Rosehill last month at odds of $101.
"I had a great time in Sydney," she said.
"I was only going up there for the three months. My apprenticeship papers have been transferred back to my dad Peter. The Sydney trip was all about the learning curve. It was a wonderful experience to get a hang of riding the other way and see how they do things up there.
"It's great to be back riding track work in Warrnambool.
"I'm riding work for Symon Wilde and Tom Dabernig and they have offered me some race rides which is tremendous."
Lafferty has ridden six metropolitan winners.
Meanwhile, for the first time in more than 120 years, there will be no races at Penshurst on Boxing Day.
The once-a-year meeting was transferred to November.
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