The misfortune of one Melbourne apprentice has created an opening for others and fuelled premiership ambitions for Jye McNeil.

With four metropolitan meetings left in the racing season, 19-year-old McNeil and Harry Coffey are one win behind Katelyn Mallyon in the apprentices' standings having overtaken the sidelined Patrick Moloney.

McNeil has a book of seven rides at Flemington on Saturday and while he is not putting any pressure on himself, he admits it would be a feather in his cap if he did manage to snare the title.

He leads the statewide Victorian apprentices' premiership by three wins.

"I was always pretty close to the Victorian title but obviously Patty (Moloney) had the metropolitan one pretty well covered," McNeil said.

"When he had his fall, it sort of brought all of us a bit closer into the title and it's going down to a good battle."

Moloney had a five-win advantage when he broke both his ankles in a fall at Flemington in early April which ruled him out for the rest of the season.

"It wasn't a focus earlier (in the season), but because it's so close and we're in with a chance, we've probably been mainly focusing on trying to get good rides and give them every chance to have a good crack at it," McNeil said.

Mallyon is chasing her second apprentices' premiership having won the title two years ago.

Four of McNeil's seven Flemington mounts are in the top three in TAB fixed odds markets, including last start Sandown winner O'Malley.

Punters have supported O'Malley from $11 to $4.20 favourite in the Bruce Gadsden Handicap.

O'Malley won with Josh Cartwright aboard last start.

"He's stepping up in class from last start but off the back of that nice win he should have some good confidence going into the race," McNeil said.

The meeting also features the Rising Stars Final, a race restricted to apprentice riders, and it's a series McNeil is poised to win.

He rides Mossmoney for trainer Chris Waller and can only be joined in the series lead, which has comprised 24 races around the state, should Regan Bayliss win aboard Reckless Assassin and Mossmoney misses a top five finish.

Bayliss is one of four apprentices having their first Flemington rides in Saturday's race along with his brother Jake Bayliss, Belinda Carlile and Leslie Tilley.