Apprentice Jenny Duggan will be blowing out candles in winning style after she narrowly took out her final race for the day at Canterbury.

The Swedish-born jockey steered five-year-old gelding Cantonese to a tightly-secured victory after battling with the Chris Waller-trained Big Time in the tab.com.au handicap (1900m) at Canterbury on Wednesday.

The talented apprentice will be celebrating the win on the same day as her 34th birthday.

"Lovely, that's all I needed," Duggan said.

The birthday girl almost missed out on a win for the day. Duggan's earlier ride and second favourite Cinderockinrella ran third in the ALEA Handicap (1250m), while her first ride A Real Prince failed to run a place in the Vili's Pies Handicap (1100m).

But she had a good feeling that things might still go her way on her birthday.

"I knew I had good rides today, I thought there was definitely a winner amongst them," she told AAP.

"Cinderockinrella was a little bit disappointing, but that happens."

Duggan said she would celebrate the win true to her Swedish roots.

"We're going to Ikea and have dinner," she said.

"They've got my favourite cake there."

The former amateur jockey, who only started riding professionally earlier this year, added a fifth city win to her resume.

The switch from the picnics proved right on the money for Duggan who won the 2011/12 Newcastle apprenticeship and the Bill Wade medal awarded by the club for her strike rate.

She thanked the big-name trainers for backing her.

"When you get good support, the bigger trainers stand behind you," she said.