the Irish-bred Goathland ($3.20) a perfect ride in third position be

Birmingham, Ala. -- The cross country programs of the Southeastern Conference return to action on Friday, traveling to four locations across the country to participate in the NCAA Regional Championships.The NCAA South Regional takes place in Tallahassee, Fla., the NCAA South Central Regional is slated for Fayetteville, Ark., the NCAA Southeast Regional will be held in Charlottesville, Va., and the NCAA Midwest Regional will take place in Iowa City, Iowa.The top two teams and the first four finishers in the race not associated with those two teams will automatically advance to the NCAA Championship race, which will be held Nov. 22 in Terre Haute, Ind. Additionally, there will be 13 at-large team bids for each gender.Led by the sixth-ranked Arkansas men, four SEC squads are ranked among the nations top-25 teams according to the latest U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association National Coaches Poll entering Fridays NCAA Regionals.The University of Arkansas men and women swept the 2016 SEC Cross Country Championships, which took place Oct. 28 at Agri Park in Fayetteville, Ark. The Razorbacks Alex George and Missouris Karrisa Schweizer took home the mens and womens individual crowns, respectively.The NCAA Cross Country Championships will take place Saturday, Nov. 19 in Terre Haute, Ind.NCAA South Regional (Tallahassee, Fla.; Women 8:30 a.m. ET, Men 9:30 a.m. ET) Alabama Auburn Florida Georgia Ole Miss Mississippi State Tennessee VanderbiltNCAA South Central Regional (Fayetteville, Ark.; Women 11 a.m. CT, Men 12 p.m. CT) Arkansas LSU Texas A&MNCAA Southeast Regional (Charlottesville, Va.; Women 11 a.m. ET, Men 12 p.m. ET) Kentucky South CarolinaNCAA Midwest Regional (Iowa City, Iowa; Women 11 a.m. CT, Men 12 p.m. CT) Missouri Apprentice Jack Martin wont forget his first ride at Flemington.It landed him a winner carrying the colours of Melbourne Cup-winning owner Lloyd Williams aboard the well supported Goathland in Saturdays Vaughan Constructions Handicap.Martin gave the Irish-bred Goathland ($3.20) a perfect ride in third position before gaining a split and then racing away to score by 4-1/4 lengths from the $2.15 favourite Charlevoix with Zenithal ($17) three quarters of a length away third.Martin said it was great riding for Williams in recent weeks.His first ride for Williams was at Moonee Valley on November 26 and while Carlo Bugatti mmight not have produced his best, Martins services have been used by Macedon Lodge at each subsequent Saturday metropolitan meeting.ddddddddddddI got a text message from my manager that Lloyds racing manager wanted me to keep a certain race clear at Moonee Valley, Martin said.And Ive had a ride for him each week since.To win here at my first ride, in these colours, its a massive thrill.If you said I would be here, riding a winner in these colours 12 months ago, I would have laughed at you. ' ' '