Souquet held a five-win lead over Leeton apprentice and last year’s winner John Kissick before Sunday’s final meeting of the season at Narrandera.

And with Souquet riding at Sunday’s Jack Maher Classic meeting at Wodonga, Kissick did his best to close the gap by riding three winners and two seconds.

Souquet had 31 winners to Kissick’s 29, Brendan Ward’s 28 Joel Maconachie’s 25 and Richard Bensley’s 24.

Souquet, 39, won a string of titles during the 1990s when he was the regular rider for the era’s dominant trainer Richard Freyer.

“Back in the ’90s nearly everything Richard threw a saddle on would bolt in,” he said.

“Now I ride as much in Victoria as I do in NSW.

“This is not a bad achievement — I ride freelance without the backing of a major stable.

“And because of weight I can only accept mounts higher in the weights.”

Souquet said his wife, Laura, who is his manager, did a great job and made him work hard.

“She doesn’t mind sending me anywhere around the countryside and it is a real team effort,” he said.”

Souquet said the jockey ranks were as strong as any time in his 20 plus years in the saddle.

“There’s six or seven jockeys in the district who could hold their own anywhere,” he said.

“You have to be on the ball or they will chew you up and spit you out.”

Souquet said his aim next season would be to be more consistent and not “ride in spurts”.

“I might ride four winners in a week and then not get another for two weeks,” he said.

Wagga’s Trevor Sutherland landed two winners at Narrandera and claimed his second straight trainers title.

He had 40 winners, well clear of Albury’s Brett Cavanough on 32.