Opportunity knocks in Winter

June, July, and August are no place for the fainthearted in Victoria, especially for those who rise in the pre-dawn hours to ride work, groom horses, and attend to the myriad tasks required to ensure the smooth running of a racing stable.

But for one small group of racing industry people, winter can be something of a wonderland, a time of opportunity, a small window when they can take centre stage, begin to make their names, and set themselves up for a bright future.

They are, of course, the young, ambitious band of apprentice jockeys who hope to capitalise on the unique conditions in Victoria during the winter months.

From late April onwards, many senior riders leave Melbourne and head either north or west to chase rides in the big-money races in Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Perth.

This leaves an opening that presents eager young tyros the chance to fill the gap, and every year a handful of names begin to become regular fixtures in the form book. This year is no exception, and among the several young hopefuls looking to make a mark are two who have already attracted attention for their prowess in regional and country races, even though they are yet to appear much on metropolitan courses.

Twenty-two-year-old Tom Prebble already has a famous racing name, given the exploits of his recently retired champion rider father, Brett, who won jockeys’ titles in Victoria before his move to Hong Kong. Brett Prebble also has Melbourne Cup, Cox Plate, and Golden Slipper wins to his name, so it’s fair to say that his son, who took up race riding late, has big shoes to fill.

New Zealander Jaylah Kennedy also has a racing background; her mother and father are Wingatui trainers Terry and Debbie Kennedy. She, like Prebble junior, has impressed in the country and is now hoping to make her mark in town.

Winter racing has its challenges, but many apprentices just see more chances.

Prebble had only ridden once in Melbourne before June of this year, in an apprentices’ contest at Flemington, although he has had plenty of experience at metro meetings conducted in Mornington and Geelong.

His delayed introduction to city racing has been a deliberate decision, orchestrated by his manager, Liam Prior, and his father.

“It’s probably for the best. My dad obviously really understands the game, and he was telling me to wait until this time of year (when many of the senior riders are interstate, overseas, or taking holidays),” said Prebble.

“I have built up some nice connections as I have ridden a lot of winners in the provincial areas, and I think it is better to come to town now rather than when I had won 30 races. I have bided my time, been happy to learn and gain experience.

“It was a bit frustrating at times, but I am looking forward to it. My boss Nick Ryan has a couple of horses in the coming weeks that he thinks might need a nice claim, and I have been fortunate enough to ride a nice winner for Matt Cumani and, back in the day, the Hayes team as well.”

Prebble junior has been around top jockeys all his life through his father’s job, and is not likely to be put off by the challenge of taking on Victoria’s biggest names.

“I have ridden against many of the big riders at the Warrnambool Carnival, for example, and you don’t really notice them too much. When the gates open, you are just trying to do your best for yourself and your horse.”

Kennedy, who describes herself as “knee high to a grasshopper”, left home in New Zealand nearly seven years ago, when she was just sixteen-and-a-half, and has slowly developed her race-riding skills to the point where she now feels confident enough to face the next step in establishing herself as a metropolitan rider.

Apprenticed in Ballarat with Dan O’Sullivan, she has branched out and is now in demand for other locally based trainers.

“I have a really good association with the McEvoy team. I have just started riding for the Hayes boys as well. I have ridden a fair few winners in the country for them, but I have yet to crack the metropolitan area with them. Since I have started to get going consistently, I have had good support from many trainers.

“I see this winter as a big opportunity. It’s going to be a big decider on my immediate future, especially when the big jocks come back. I would love to continue riding consistently in the spring, but we have to hope. You usually end up getting kicked off for the seniors, but I accept that my time will come,” said the Dunedin-born rider who started late, having her first race ride in her early twenties.

“I was just working for Dan up until then. I tried to get into the apprentice school in my first year but was knocked back. I got in on my second year, and the last six-to-twelve months have been the best for me so far.

“I grew up in a racing yard, and it was a great but tough environment. Everything you got, you really had to work for; nothing was handed to you. I had a really good childhood; mum and dad worked really hard, and it’s what I look up to. I know that nothing comes to you on a silver platter, especially here in Victoria.

The work ethic has been ingrained in me from early in my life.

“I can ride at 52 kilos; that’s probably my most comfortable weight. I can do lighter when the better rides come round and for the people who have been supportive, but 52 is probably where I am best mentally and physically.”

Liam Prior is a well-known jockey manager, having handled Prebble’s father Brett, Nash Rawiller, and Glen Boss, so he knows what it takes to guide a rider through the ranks. He says it has been a deliberate strategy to keep Prebble out of the limelight until this stage of his career.

“A lot of the younger riders in Victoria are exposed to riding in town sooner, although it is true that the apprentices in Victoria are riding against the senior riders more frequently because you would see kids go to a meeting at Ballarat on Sunday, and they would be riding against the likes of Oliver, Zahra, Melham, Kah, Shinn, Allen, so they are probably more exposed to riding against those elite senior riders.

“The biggest concern is that they outride their claim in the city and they don’t claim anywhere else either for the last twelve months of their apprenticeship. That can make it quite a difficult transition to senior ranks.”

This approach aims to make full use of the four-year term of their riding apprenticeship, ensuring a smoother transition, and preserving the apprentices’ competitive edge while they gain vital experience.

“Tom’s had ample opportunity to be riding in town for the past six months, but we have purposefully held him back. It’s been about preserving his claim and making sure he has had enough experience as necessary. He rides work fairly regularly for Danny O’Brien when he can and his uncle is Paddy Payne … he’s a wonderful mentor for him.”