Jockey John Kissick ready for new challenge in Brisbane

By Jordan Gerrans

After an injury plagued few years in the saddle, jockey John Kissick feels he is now ready for the start of the next chapter of his racing career. 

The 31-year-old has not ridden since the middle of April when he had five engagements at Tocumwal, in southern NSW on the Victorian border, which are likely to be his last ever race rides after a decision to take on a new role.

He will later this month join the Brisbane-based stable of Steven O'Dea and Matthew Hoysted as a foreman.

Kissick described the new gig as an “exciting opportunity”.

While he has not completely shut the door on returning to race riding, he says that if he does not return, he is content with what he has achieved in the saddle.

In just over a decade since making his debut, Kissick collected more than 400 winners, with several of those years completed wiped out through injury, as well as riding in a Group 1.

“I am happy with the career I have put together if this is the end,” he said.

The O'Dea and Hoysted barn is most certainly a team on the rise in the Sunshine State.

O’Dea and Hoysted had the honour of finishing last season with the best metropolitan strike rate of any trainer in the top 20 with 25.9 per cent from its 228 starters.

They have also made their presence felt in Victoria recently with a team of gallopers chasing black-type honours in the lead-up to the spring carnival.

Co-trainer Hoysted is looking forward to welcoming Kissick to the stable, noting he learnt from champion trainer Chris Waller earlier in his career.

“He has been around for a fair while and was obviously a really good rider,” Hoysted said.

“He has done stints working for Chris Waller in Sydney for a while and he would have been exposed some really good stable environments.

“It will be good to have him on-board.”

After out-riding his claim in the bush, Kissick went to Sydney for a stint with Waller, which he believes will be beneficial in his new role in Brisbane.

“I rode some awesome horses and got to ride for arguably the best trainer in Australia,” he said.

“It was good to get a gauge on things with that and see how he works and operates.”

Kissick is set to officially start in the new role later this month and is planning to head to the Sunshine State for a look around this weekend to get familiar with their processes.

Despite riding around Australia during his career, Kissick never took race rides in Queensland.

He has had a chequered run with injuries, battling a back complaint that put him on the sidelines for three years, while most recently returning from a broken leg.

The injury worries led to looking for a new venture in racing, Kissick says.

“After coming back from the broken leg, I never really had the fire in the belly to keep race riding and I wanted something different,” he said.

“It was strange to be honest, before I went out with that injury I really wanted to be a jockey, but once I came back I rode a few winners, it was just not the same.

“The broken leg last year cemented it for me.

“I am keen to give it a go as they are an up-and-coming stable and have been going really well.”

Taking on the role as a stable foreman, Kissick says he is unlikely to pursue his own training licence in the future but says he would not rule it out.