Gem of a start for Emerald jockey Saunders

By Jordan Gerrans

Teenage apprentice Hayley Saunders has described her maiden race rides as the ‘best feeling she has ever had’ in her life.

The Emerald-based youngster headed to Dingo Race Club for two non-TAB rides on Saturday afternoon to commence her career in the saddle as a professional hoop.

While she did not come away with a victory on debut, Saunders and her master Glenda Bell walked away from the experience believing it was a positive step in her riding journey.

“It was probably the best feeling I have ever had,” the 18-year-old said.

“It did take forever for me to do my trials and everything, as I had to go all the way up to Townsville and then down to the Sunshine Coast to complete them.

“But, once I got the clear for race riding, it was just the best feeling ever.

“And, to be finally out there on the track and in a race, it was a whole new feeling that you never knew you could have.”

The lightweight jockey took one ride for her boss - Agnes Waters in the maiden – as well as Playful Kiss for Rockhampton trainer Kevin Miller on the dirt at Dingo.

Bay mare Playful Kiss had not figured in the finish in each of her last three starts so to finish fourth was a tick of approval for Saunders from Miller.

“Glenda said she was really happy with how I went on Saturday,” the apprentice said.

“It helped because I knew the horse Agnes Waters already and that is why I got put on him. I had ridden that horse of Kevin’s heaps of times in trials before.

“He thought it was the best he had seen the horse go on Saturday; we did not think he would go as well as he would. They were very happy with how it all went.”

Oakey on the Darling Downs is where Saunders got her start in the sport.

She had little experience with horses throughout her life before getting an afternoon job at a local stable through her school days.

“I have only been riding horses for three years, I have not done anything with horses before when I was younger,” she said.

“It was an afternoon job for me in Oakey – when I was going to school – and then I started riding for trainer Jye Banks.

“I was doing pre-trainers and breakers for Jye before I started doing fast work for him.

“It hit me from there, this is what I wanted to do – be a jockey.”

Saunders considered starting her apprenticeship on the Darling Downs and spent time riding work for local trainer Paul Wallace, among others.

She had a bad fall late last year which delayed her pursuit of becoming a jockey.

Senior riders such as Les Tilley, Nozi Tomizawa and Alex Patis, among others, helped mentor Saunders while she was on the Darling Downs.

The young hoop floated going to Bonnie Thomson’s barn in Townsville to commence her riding before ending up in Central Queensland with stalwart bush trainer Bell.

Saunders rode in her last lot of trials at Caloundra on Tuesday of last week to get the green light for her debut race day appearance at Dingo.

Bell – a former jockey herself – has been working closely with her apprentice who has been with her stable for the last four months.

“She went good on Saturday and hopefully she can keep her weight down,” Bell said.

“She is riding at 53 kg at the moment and we are hoping to get her down to 52 kg as she is not a tall girl.

“She is a good little rider. She sits on a horse good but she still has a little bit to learn as all young apprentices do.”

Bell is keen for Saunders to remain on the non-TAB circuit for now and bide her time before heading to a TAB meeting.

The trainer says her apprentice will have a stack of rides for her team this Saturday at Springsure.

“It was a good opportunity with Glenda and there will be more rides for me in the bush here than what there would be down there at Toowoomba,” Saunders said.

“It seems better for me up here and I can pick up different things from different riders. Glenda has been in the game for decades and was riding when she was a teenager.

“She knows the way around these horses like the back of her hand and she has helped me out a lot. She is really lovely to work with. I have a lot of opportunities behind me here.”

It was a successful Dingo trip for the Bell team on Saturday as Tupelawara got the cash with apprentice Mitch Goring in the saddle.