Queensland jockey James Orman concludes massive season in the saddle

By Glenn Davis

Queensland jockey James Orman has narrowly missed claiming the national jockeys’ premiership for the 2022-23 season.

Orman finished second behind NSW-based Aaron Bullock who rode five winners at Tamworth last Friday before landing a double at Newcastle on Saturday.

Bullock added to his haul of winners with a treble at Muswellbrook on Sunday.

Orman, who rode at Eagle Farm and Toowoomba on Saturday and at the Sunshine Coast on Sunday, failed to make any inroads on Bullock's lead over the weekend.

With one day remaining Bullock tops the leader board with 204.5 wins while the popular Queenslander is 3.5 wins adrift.

And, Bullock has a further six rides at Wellington on Monday to increase his lead over Orman who has finished riding for the season.

Meanwhile, Orman was a clear winner with back-to-back wins in the Brisbane jockeys’ premiership.

Orman won his first Brisbane premiership with 78.5 winners in the 2021-22 season before shattering that mark this year with 104 wins, 11 wins clear of Ben Thompson.

Orman also claimed the Queensland title with a staggering 197 wins compared to his 139.5 wins when he claimed the state title in 2021-22.

While he continues to claim riding titles, Orman is yet to tick off a Group 1 win on his bucket list.

Champion trainer Tony Gollan continued on his record-breaking way with a 10th consecutive win in the Brisbane trainers’ premiership.

Gollan won the Queensland trainers’ premiership with 192.5 wins, 80.5 wins ahead of nearest rival. 

He won his first Brisbane premiership in the 2013-14 campaign when he claimed the title with just 56.5 winners.

Although he failed to win a Group 1 this season, Gollan fulfilled one of his biggest ambitions by claiming his first Magic Millions Classic with Skirt The Law.

Toowoomba-born Gollan came to Brisbane 11 years ago with a team of eight horses during the 2012 Queensland winter carnival.

Gollan cut his teeth in racing learning from his late father Darryl Gollan and took out his trainers’ licence at the age of 20 with a small team at Toowoomba.

He missed out winning the Brisbane premiership in his first season but has won every once since, taking out his first trainers’ title in his second year in Brisbane in the 2013-14 season.

He broke the late Bruce McLachlan’s record for city winners for the first time with 79 wins in 2014-15 and broke 100 city winners for the first time in 2019-20.

Gollan’s apprentice Angela Jones claimed the Brisbane apprentices’ title in her first full year since moving from Toowoomba with 79 wins, well clear of fellow apprentice Jaden Lloyd on 29.5 wins.