Chelsea Francis' dream Cup day debut

By Jordan Gerrans

Teenager Chelsea Francis relocated to the Sunshine State chasing her dreams in the saddle and she will live out those ambitions for the first time on one of the biggest days on the Australian racing calendar.

The Deagon-based youngster makes the trip out to Kumbia Race Club on Tuesday for her debut race ride.

Kumbia is a small town in the South Burnett region which hosts one race meeting a year which annually falls on Melbourne Cup day.

The 18-year-old Francis jokes that she had to do some research to actually find out where Kumbia is located. 

But, after growing up in Victoria, she says it will be a special occasion and dream come true to have her first race ride on the same day as the race that stops the nation.

Francis moved to Queensland in March of this year in search of more opportunities as an apprentice hoop.

After spending some time with Chris Munce’s team at Eagle Farm, she is now indentured to Steele Ryan’s barn while also riding plenty of work for Darryl Ward.

The emerging rider says she moved north with the aim of furthering her career and believes she has found it in the Sunshine State.

“It is great for me to learn here, it is a bit quieter,” Francis said.

“There are lots of people here that can help me. Being up here, it benefits me because people have a lot more time for you here – I found it was rushed down there.

“There are so many bush tracks up here and multiple meetings during the week where you can get opportunities.”

Francis worked for the Trevor Rogers stable at Cranbourne before relocating north.

Multiple Group-level winning hoop Dale Smith also rides work for the Ward yard at Deagon and has mentored the young apprentice in recent months.

On Monday of this week before her maiden race ride on Tuesday, they were working together on fine tuning her skills ahead of her debut.

“She has a good seat on her and horses seem to run for her,” Smith said.

“She is going good and is a good kid.”

The 43-year-old Smith has claimed an array of black-type races throughout his lengthy career and Francis has been keen to tap into his knowledge and skill set.

Francis and Smith often go through the apprentice’s replays together as well as working on the mechanical horse.

“We ride together and work together now, it has been great having him here most of the time,” Francis said.

“He is someone I look up to in this industry so it is great having him around for advice.

“I get to watch how he does things and he is definitely going to help me along my journey so I grateful for him.

“He is good because I get to ask him questions about what I should and shouldn’t do.

“I am sure we will go through my replay from Tuesday after the race, as well.”

Francis is a natural lightweight and has her riding weight listed as 50kg for her first day at the races.

She heads to Kumbia for one ride, booked to partner Devil's Rite for Clifford Park trainer Lindsay Hatch.

Francis’ boss Ryan and Hatch are long-time mates, which aided the apprentice in picking up the ride on the last-start winner.

Devil's Rite got the prize at Clifton late last month and will commence from the inside alley in the Benchmark 60 Handicap over 1200 metres.

Devil's Rite has finished in the money in four of his last five trips to the races and on each occasion where he has won a cheque, the gelding has been ridden on the speed.

“The horse is a leader so I think ‘Hatchy’ will want me to pop it up and be where the horse takes me,” Francis said.

“He will probably just jump and run.”

Francis has been around horses all her life and after starting out as a stable hand when she was 15 years of age, she quickly progressed to riding work and has risen through the ranks since.

“I just love it,” she said.