Which of these four young men will become champion apprentice - and can they dream of future stardom?

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Back into the fray comes 17-year-old Jack Doughty, who resumes race-riding at Goodwood on Tuesday after what must have seemed an interminable three weeks out of action. When last we saw him, he was two wins ahead in the race to be champion apprentice; now, he must play catch-up once more.

"I'm looking forward to getting back," Doughty tells the Front Runner. "Obviously, the lads haven't got too far ahead, so hopefully I can ride a few winners and catch back up."

As has been noted in this space, it's a low-scoring year for apprentices, suggesting that opportunities are harder to come by than in the past. But it might also indicate that there is little to choose between this year's stars; four young men are still in with realistic chances of emerging as champion, rather than the one or two who would often be clear of their peers by this stage.

Currently on top is Sean Dylan Bowen on 28 wins. At the start of last week, he'd ridden four winners in a row. By the end of the week, William Hill had cut him to 8-11 to be crowned top apprentice on October 19, Qipco British Champions Day.

Whether Hill's still take such a sunny view of Bowen's chances is hard to be sure because their market has a guerilla quality. Everything goes quiet for days and you think they've given up, then suddenly it's there again. At least they're offering odds from time to time; as far as I can tell, they're the only ones.

Bowen had the frustrating experience of two booked rides yesterday, at Brighton, which both became non-runners. Hopefully, he hadn't actually made the journey down there. Anyway, he has two at Windsor this evening, including the interesting Addosh for James Owen, who has provided most of the jockey's winners this year.

Currently second on 25 wins is Mark Winn, who had a Redcar treble two Saturdays ago. He's not riding today but will have a couple at Southwell tomorrow, including Hard Nut, who carries a penalty for their success last week.

Doughty is on 24 wins, sharing third place with Joe Leavy, who had easily the best August of the various contenders, rocketing himself into the argument with 15 winners. That's one more than the combined total of Bowen, Winn and Doughty that month.

If Leavy could sustain that momentum, he'd be hard to beat. He's attached to the Richard Hannon yard, which has had some fruitful Septembers in recent years and will provide him with his only ride today, aboard the 2-1 shot Skallywag Bay at Brighton.

Sean Dylan Bowen: leading the way in the hunt for the apprentice titleCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Tomorrow, Doughty and Leavy will share a weighing room at Goodwood. They will have plenty to discuss, if so minded, both having served whip-related totting-up bans this year which have hampered their progress.

Doughty says he gets on well with all three of his title rivals and admires their skills. Even so, he is (of course) determined to beat them.

"We've got a few owners and trainers who want to support me and they've got plenty of nice horses, so fingers crossed we can carry on as before."

He talks me through his three Goodwood rides tomorrow. There's Alcazan - "a nice horse of Roger Teal's that won two on the bounce and ran well at York as well". She's third-favourite for a sprint handicap.

His best chance appears to be East India Dock, a James Fanshawe-trained three-year-old getting 11lb weight for age from older rivals in a 2m handicap. "Should run well," says Doughty. He's been chalked up as 6-4 favourite.

In the last race, there is Celebrating Ethel for Doughty's guv'nor, Tony Carroll. She's on a long losing run but the jockey says: "I rode her there in June; she just didn't really get much room and didn't get a clear run, so hopefully everything will go to plan this time."

Which of these young men will become champion apprentice - and can they dream of future stardom? Tune in for plenty of midweek action this month to form your own view.

I think Leavy may have the firepower to hit the front by the time October rolls around. If only someone would let me bet on it.

Updated William Hill betting is available here

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The Front Runner is our unmissable email newsletter available exclusively to Members' Club Ultimate subscribers. Chris Cook, the reigning Racing Writer of the Year, provides his take on the day's biggest stories and tips for the upcoming racing every morning from Monday to Friday. Not a Members' Club Ultimate subscriber? Click here to join today and also receive our Ultimate Daily emails plus our full range of fantastic website and newspaper content.