Second time around, apprentice hoop Billy Owen reckons he knows what it takes to cut the mustard in today’s competitive riding ranks.

From those early - which he calls immature - days in Canberra when he first was legged aboard, Owen has come back around with a bang.

Just two days after producing a terrific steer aboard local six-year-old Welcome Art to win the Cowra Cup, Owen rode six at yesterday’s Narooma Cup meeting at Moruya. Today at Wagga he has six more for trainers across three borders: the well-fancied Celebrity Reign for the powerful Victorian stable of Hayes and Dabernig in a heat of the Rising Star (1400 metres); three runners for Canberra stables as well as Wagga’s evergreen Trevor Sutherland and little-known Gundagai trainer Andrew Sheahan.

Celebrity Reign ($4.20) looms as one of the better bets on the card in race three. After four runs back from a spell – the latest flying home to finish just behind the placegetters at Echuca – the lightly raced gelding should be right at home on the long run in at Wagga and dropping significantly in weight.