Caine ready and able for Sunshine State success

By Jordan Gerrans

Fledgling apprentice Caine Stuart calls the Northern Rivers of NSW home but the young jockey says regular trips to the Sunshine State have been vital in his development as a rider.

After debuting in late July, the 23-year-old has taken the majority of his career rides in Queensland, headlined by his first winner on Saturday at Roma.

Stuart had a big book of rides at Cunnamulla the Saturday prior and remained around the Downs Country Racing Association for the entire week ahead of the Roma meeting.

Chinchilla trainer Rodney Hay handed the keen youngster his first winner aboard Green Park who scored in the opening event on Saturday, the QTIS Maiden Plate over 1000 metres.

Stuart utilized his inside barrier to stick to the fence aboard the 13-start maidener and the Ocean Park mare did the rest, going on to score by just over a length.

“It was very special,” Stuart said.

“It was super, the best feeling ever. I have been trying to be a jockey for five or so years. It was really good to ride for Rodney Hay.”

The rookie rider is indentured to Dwayne Schmidt at Grafton.

Conditioner Schmidt took runners north to Roma in late June, which got the ball rolling for his apprentice to look to the area for opportunities once his licence was officially approved. 

After riding at Cunnamulla the Saturday before, senior hoop Brendon Newport – who had partnered Green Park in the three prior starts – put Stuart’s name forward to Hay for the ride.

To gain further experience in the saddle, Stuart rode work for Roma trainers Craig Smith and Wayne Baker in the week between the two bush meetings.

He was rewarded with a book of six engagements at Bassett Park after taking five rides at Cunnamulla and District Diggers' Race Club.

“It was great to get up to Roma and ride work for the week with Craig and Wayne and stay at Craig’s place,” Stuart said.

“They are all great people and looked after me for the week and a bit. I met a lot of great people at Roma and I really enjoyed it.

“Dwayne and I are already planning for a Roma Cup trip in November, we are going to bring some horses up and it has been in the process since I got my license to do it.”

Stuart – who walks around at 51 kg – originally hails from Bendigo in country Victoria and has worked in a number of stables before settling in at Grafton with Schmidt in April of this year.

The enthusiastic hoop has walked an unusual path to becoming a jockey compared to many others in the riding ranks.

He has travelled the world competing in judo, including heading to Germany, Russia and Chile.

He still dabbles in his judo and has his eyes on obtaining his black belt at the 2024 Brisbane International Open in late September.

“It was a different transition for me to go from that to being a jockey,” Stuart said with a laugh.

“The never giving up and the determination of it all is the same and a good thing for being a jockey from Judo. We had nothing to do with horses in my family growing up.”

Stuart will take rides for his boss on their home track this Saturday before returning to Queensland early in September with an eye to being at Surat.

“It is super, I really enjoyed it because we do not have a lot of non-TAB racing where we are,” he said of the Roma trip. 

“The Sky 2 race meetings are the lower ones and that’s about it.

“It was a good adventure and I really loved it. I will keep making my way up every week or so.”

Northern Rivers apprentices have found great success in Queensland in recent times.

Claire Ramsbotham – who is indentured to Matthew Dunn at Murwillumbah – has made recent trips to Yeppoon and Bowen while Cejay Graham and Kyle Wilson-Taylor have made their mark in Brisbane after originally riding in the area.