Hampson's career not hampered by move to Queensland

By Jordan Gerrans

Jade Hampson feels the Sunshine State is the perfect location to send her riding career to the next level as she chases more opportunities in the city. 

The 20-year-old has recently shifted to Queensland from the Northern Territory where she established herself as a star on the rise in the saddle.

Hampson piloted a winner in the National Apprentice Race Series aboard The Maggstar in Melbourne in 2023 and has also ridden at Eagle Farm and Doomben when representing the NT in the popular concept.

She has hit the ground running in Queensland, collecting two winners in the past week, after recently transferring her apprenticeship to Gold Coast trainer Allan Chau.

Hampson picked up the second of her two winners for her boss Chau on the Polytrack on Saturday afternoon with Exposition breaking maiden ranks.

The up-and-coming hoop rode the former Chris Waller-prepared gelding at the same venue late last month as they were just rolled in a photo-finish.

On the back of that promising effort, Hampson was bullish Exposition would be up to the task.

“We went into Saturday’s race quite confident that he would be hard to beat,” she said.

“His last start run was good and Allan had trained him a bit fresh.

“We wanted to go forward on him, as that is how he has always gone, but he missed the kick and was a bit slow away.

“He just travelled super for me and I had a lot of horse under my lap at the top of the straight.

“We were very confident at the top of the straight and I was very confident he would run on and run them down.”

Exposition’s fast-finishing performance at the Gold Coast on Saturday followed on from Hampson’s victory aboard Ilana The First for fellow local trainer Danny Bougoure last week.

The triumph at Beaudesert for Bougoure and more opportunities on the grass are key reasons behind the apprentice’s move.

She has plenty of experience on the sand from riding at Darwin and Alice Spring in the NT.

She won the feature Alice Springs Cup in 2023 aboard Write Your Name for Dick Leech.

But, she understands that if she wants to become a city rider further into her apprenticeship and progress to the senior ranks, then she would need to grow her skills on the grass.

“Up in the Territory, it is like racing on the Poly as we do on the Gold Coast, it is quite fast,” she said.

“I have done a bit of riding on the grass in South Australia and I really wanted to learn about riding in races a bit better and the different styles of riding on a grass track here in Queensland.

“It is about expanding my knowledge and learning a bit more. The opportunity in the Territory had come to its limit and I needed to expand.”

Hampson rode at the provincials on Saturday with a 1.5 kilogram allowance and will claim three whenever she heads to the city.

“They don’t have much metro racing up there in the NT and I wanted to push myself a little more as I do not have much provincial claim left,” the young hoop said.

“There is only a few more winners left for me before I lose that and I have three kilograms in the city.

“I really wanted to go to that next step and moving over here was the best opportunity for me.

“I have really loved it here so far, everyone has been really supportive and I have settled in quite well.”

Hampson’s opportunity at the Chau barn opened up after his apprentice Bella Youngberry transferred to the Central West of Queensland for a stint under the watch of trainer Bevan Johnson.

After a lengthy riding career, Chau has in recent times switched his focus to preparing gallopers.

He enjoyed a career that yielded multiple city winners in Brisbane and Sydney as well as a Group 3 triumph in the saddle.

After a few weeks under his stewardship, Hampson says Chau is an excellent boss to learn from.

She is on a three-month loan stint initially from her NT master Tayarn Halter and is keen to stay on in Queensland if all goes to plan.

“He understands all the racing and he can actually see what is happening in a race, he has been great for me,” Hampson said of Chau.

“His knowledge has been really valuable to me and he has helped me a lot already.

“He was a very good jockey himself back in the day and he has given me a lot of opportunities already.

“We go back through my replays together and we analyse it all. He has been really helpful and I think he is going to improve me and my riding a lot.”

With Chau having runners nominated for Ipswich on Thursday and Eagle Farm’s city meeting on Friday, it is set to be a busy week for Hampson.

Hampson grew up in Western Australia before commencing riding work and then taking out her apprenticeship in Darwin.

She has 85 career winners to her name.