The odds were stacked against Brett Prebble toppling perennial champion jockey Douglas Whyte in the premiership last season and, despite the fact he came within two wins of doing so, not much has changed heading into this season. Whyte has been the dominant hoop for the past decade, yet Prebble made him fight right to the last meeting to clinch his 10th consecutive jockey's title in July. With more than 750 races this season, it is hard to predict how the premiership battle will pan out for the two riders, with factors like riding suspensions, injury lay-offs and overseas stints capable of dramatically changing the script from the tight duel we were treated to last season. One thing is certain, Prebble's task will not be any easier. The Australian, who is renowned for his physical riding strength and affinity with the Happy Valley circuit, got off to a flying start last year thanks to a burst of winners for trainer David Hall. The pair combined for 16 winners in the first half of the season (but only managed four in the second) which propelled Prebble to a 16-win advantage over Whyte before Christmas. That early success, combined with the strong support from Manfred Man Ka-leung who had a career best year with 43 winners, was as useful to Prebble as the early season split between Whyte and trainer Dennis Yip Chor-hong, which saw him pinch valuable winners away from his rival. With solid support throughout the year from Caspar Fownes at Happy Valley, Prebble stamped himself as the master of the city circuit, winning 47 races there compared to Whyte's 26. By season's end, however, the irresistible force of Whyte and trainer John Size at Sha Tin crushed the hopes of a first Hong Kong title for Prebble. A total of 465 races were run at Sha Tin last season, compared with 302 at Happy Valley, and in the end the numbers were stacked against Prebble dethroning Whyte. What was unusual was that Whyte gave Prebble such a big head start. Last year was the first time since 2000-01 that Whyte had not led the premiership after 16 meetings, and so sluggish was his start, he was relegated to eighth placing at that point. The champion rider will be keen to get away to a far better start this year, particularly if the whispers about him riding another stint in Japan mid-season are true. This could be all the edge that Prebble requires to force his way to a first premiership win, provided his own overseas forays don't cut too deeply into his time. Prebble completed a successful hit-and-run mission to Sydney in April last season and won the Golden Slipper on Crystal Lily - but he spent the next few weeks on the sidelines after he was suspended by Australian stewards for his winning ride. These are the factors that can make or break premiership wins and both Whyte and Prebble will quickly rein in any overseas adventures should the 2010-11 title battle start to heat up.