Apprentice jockey all jacked up in return victory

By Andrew Smith

Riding a winner in your first race back after almost a year out of the game is cause for celebration on its own.

But doing it after battling health issues in recent times and in your first race for your new master and close friend makes victory even sweeter.

That was the case for jockey Heidi Gillie who steered the James Healy-trained Pireonti to a win in a Benchmark 58 Handicap on the Sunshine Coast on Sunday.

It was the 28-year-old apprentice’s first time back in the saddle since she stepped away from race riding entirely in February of this year.

The fitness fanatic is known as "The Jacked Jockey," with race caller Josh Fleming giving the nickname a shout out following the win at Corbould Park.

Gillie had suffered liver failure in 2023 while trying to find the balance between being a jockey and a competitive bodybuilder.

She had originally returned to the riding circuit in December 2023 before realising her body and mind needed an extended break.

“I was racing earlier this year but obviously my body couldn’t perform - it would just fill up with lactic acid, which is not me,” Gillie said.

“Fitness has been my life, I just knew it wasn’t right, I was fit as but couldn’t exert myself at that level.

“My body just wasn’t recovered enough from that liver failure, and I needed more time.

“I also wasn’t situated very well mentally - so that combined with my physical state, the body and the brain needed a refresher so that’s why I decided to give myself a break and go overseas for a little bit.”

Gillie travelled around Europe for four weeks and also used the time off to add to her personal trainer qualification by becoming a sports nutritionist.

She also stayed connected to racing through riding trackwork for the Healy stable at Corbould Park.

As with many in the industry, the riding itch was too hard to ignore and Gillie completed all the necessary trials before returning for her one and only race yesterday, scoring on the five-year-old mare.

To do it for her close mate Healy was the icing on the cake.

Originally from country Victoria, Gillie’s partnership with the horseman had been forged when the pair worked for the powerhouse Ciaron Maher stable at Caulfield.

“It was six years ago when he was the foreman and I was the trackwork rider,” Gillie recalls.

“He said ‘one day I’ll be a trainer and you’ll be a jockey, and you’re going to be my apprentice’ and I literally laughed in his face.

“I said ‘nah you’re dreaming, there’s no way - you’re not going to be a trainer and I’m not going to be a jockey.’

“Anyway so six years later I’m now his apprentice and I win my first race as his apprentice, it’s actually pretty crazy.”

Gillie had previously been apprenticed to Stradbroke Handicap-winning trainer Natalie McCall at Caloundra.

Friendship aside, it was an easy decision for the hoop to re-start her apprenticeship under Healy.

“The original plan was to go with James because Nat and James were going to go in partnership and then that obviously didn’t end up happening, but he’s great,” Gillie said.

“It’s just so easy to work alongside him and we’re able to talk so closely about each horse because I’m riding every horse, every day.

“He’s hands on and it’s easy to get a good gauge cause we’re both so hands on with every horse, every day.”

Healy has a boutique team of 18 runners across the road from Corbould Park.

The small size of the stable suits Gillie just fine following last year’s health scare.

She is now far better at knowing her own physical and mental limits, while managing racing as a jockey as well as competing in bodybuilding events.

“I don’t have to work as much as I was and I’m able to juggle it a little bit better and really just prioritising nutrition and recovery as well,” Gillie said.

“Before I was a jockey, I was at the gym every day but that was part of the reason my liver failed - I obviously wasn’t juggling it well enough and didn’t have enough recovery time in there.

“I had a bit of a rough time and let it control my life a lot but my goal always was to be a body builder and a jockey at the same time so it’s taken me five years.

“I’m in comp mode right now, I’m about 13 weeks out from my first show and to be able to race at the same time has been a really long goal in the making.”

Gillie is set to be back in the saddle this Friday at Ipswich on both of Healy’s horses in the eight-race card at Bundamba.