Warwick to go in new direction

By Jordan Gerrans

Warwick Satherley’s prolific riding form in the saddle over the last year has developed the comeback hoop a cult following on social media.

The hashtag #gowarwick gets a fair work out when the Rockhampton jockey gets on a roll.

Since he returned to the saddle in early May of last year, Satherley has ridden 58 winners at a touch over a 17 per cent strike rate.

But, for the man himself, he collected a special victory on Saturday afternoon that is much more meaningful than the 50 odd that went before it.

Satherley tasted success as a dual-licenced participant for the first time with a galloper that he has worked with since the horse was a baby.

The progressive Sir Grace broke through at his third career effort in a 1400 metre maiden at Callaghan Park with Satherley the trainer and rider. 

“It was a great thrill, it means a lot,” Satherley said.

“We bought him ourselves and everything online, we have had him right through since he was a baby.

“For him to now win a race, you really feel like you have achieved something – it is a great thrill.

“It was different to any other winner I had ridden and it is not something I will forget in a hurry. It was a really good feeling.”

The 55-year-old spent many years away from race riding before making a shock return early in 2023.

While he has been riding up a storm since he returned, it was never really the plan for the New Zealander to be riding in races once again.

He started riding track work and then in trials to aid his training pursuits, which quickly turned into race riding on a consistent basis.

The accomplished hoop has taken Central Queensland racing by storm in reality, headlined by four winners on Saturday afternoon.

He rode four more at ‘Rocky’ on a race day in late February.

He will ride on a weekly basis for the remainder of the season but from then on, he is likely to focus more so on the training side of his dual-licence.

The smiling Satherley will keep his jockey's licence but says he will put more of his time and effort into training – which was the original plan before he returned to race day commitments.

When his return to riding went so well, the training was put on the backburner but it will return to focus soon enough.

“The property I have got, I am building stables on it at the moment,” he said.

“Hopefully I can train, two or three or four in the near future and I would be happy doing that. I would like to train a few for me and my partner.”

The Kiwi-bred Sir Grace is a galloper Satherley has high hopes for once he matures and gets over more ground.

According to the veteran horseman, the chestnut’s breeding suggests he will get a mile and a half down the line.

Satherley thinks he will not see the best of him until his five-year-old season and he is in no rush with the gelding.

That is when he feels he will be up and running with his training operation, when Sir Grace is nearing his peak.

“It is a building stone for him,” Satherley said of Saturday’s maiden win.

“We have been very patient with him and we have taken our time.

“He is a very nice horse and I am sure he will win something along the line. I think we will have some fun with him when he gets over more ground.

“I do not think we will see the best of him until he gets up to four or five years of age, I think he can get up to 2000 and 2200 metres.”

Sir Grace’s connections Joanna Andersen and Susan Satherley paid just $11,000 for the youngster when he was still a colt after being broken in across the ditch in New Zealand.

He spent a few weeks at Randwick as a naughty colt and when the opportunity arose for Satherley to purchase the horse, he immediately gelded him before he headed north to Rockhampton.

Being a Kiwi himself, Satherley liked the breeding of Sir Grace and was sold.

Sir Grace is likely to have one more run this preparation before the team sit down and work out what to do with him going forward.