Queensland apprentice Matthew McGillivray rode his first Saturday metropolitan treble and credited Sydney hoops Kerrin McEvoy and Tye Angland with helping turn his life around.
McGillivray was a troubled youngster when he was banned for four months in 2015 after he tested positive to methamphetamines and MDMA in a urine test at the Doomben jumpouts.
But the 25-year-old, who only has a month left in his apprenticeship, has put his head down and is in the riding form of his life.
On Saturday at the Gold Coast he savoured his first Saturday metro treble with wins on Mr Epic, Tycoon Ace and Choice Princess.
He currently leads the Brisbane senior premiership with 10 wins and says a stint in Sydney when he was apprenticed to Jason Coyle did him the world of good.
"Guys like Kerrin McEvoy, Tommy Berry and Tye Angland were really good to me and I really watched the way they went about things," McGillivray said.
"I didn't ride too many winners in Sydney but I got plenty of experience down there and I got on the straight and narrow.
"This was my first Saturday metro treble and that's another really good thing for me.
"I moved back to Brisbane because I want to try to be a big fish in a little pond, rather than a little fish in a big pond like I would have been in Sydney."
