Johnston family at the double

By Jordan Gerrans

It would be hard work to find a prouder trainer in the Sunshine State than Caloundra’s John Johnston this week. 

John and his daughter Kayla – a budding apprentice hoop – made the long drive to Goondiwindi with a couple of gallopers from their team on Saturday. 

They headed back to the Sunshine Coast later that evening with a few life-long memories to treasure.

Kayla rode her first and second winners as a jockey, with both gallopers prepared by her father.

And, in doing so, John claimed his first victory as a trainer for the season.

It was also John’s first double as a conditioner in a touch over five years or so.

“It the best day in racing I have ever had,” John said.

“Yes, 100 per cent – that’s the best day I have had. I am very proud of her and it is all upwards from here.”

According to Racing And Sports’ statistics, the second of the Johnston double on Saturday was John’s 100^th in his training career after starting out back in early 1998.

The 20-year-old Kayla had her first race rides in late October and went close to snaring her maiden winner at Kilcoy on her debut program.

She was forced to wait just over a month to claim her first winner but it was extra special to do it for her father, who has been a driving force in her career.

“That is how I picked it all up, riding trackwork in the morning before going to school,” Kayla said of her father.

“Being in racing, he got me my first pony and taught me to ride.

“Then being in the stables, that is where I started before going into race riding.”

Before starting her riding apprenticeship, Kayla discussed going into a training partnership with her father.

With her mind fixating on training a team of gallopers, Kayla’s route in racing shifted dramatically when she went from riding work to then competing in jump-outs like a proper jockey would.

Astern Villa landed Kayla’s maiden triumph before stable mate Capital Cee doubled her career triumph tally the race later.

John predominately races his team of 14 gallopers on his home deck of Corbould Park or other provincial tracks and will occasionally sneak into the city.

With Kayla needing as many non-TAB country rides as possible to get her career going, John will look to race on the bush circuit more often over the coming months.

“They both went out there to help Kayla get going but I thought they were really good chances regardless,” John said.

“Astern Villa has had a lot of feet problems over time and that has been his biggest issue.

“This prep, he had a big spell and now have brought him back – I think we have his feet spot on now and he is flying.

“The horse will win more races now that Kayla will be taking him out to country places.

“He will go through his grades in the bush as it is pretty tough racing where he has been racing on the Sunshine Coast, it is not easy.

“Capital Cee came across from the Stuart Kendrick stable, who suggested he would be a good horse for Kayla to help get her going.”

John could not pinpoint exactly when he last prepared a winning double but believes it was at Caloundra with retired champion hoop Damian Browne doing the steering.

The multiple Group 1-winning rider retired back in early 2019.

Kayla has long been involved in Browne’s mentoring program where he tutors emerging jockeys.

“She is coming along really good,” John said.

“She has a lot to improve on and every time she goes to the races, she always improves. She is going really well.

“I will take some of my horses more so to the country now to help Kayla, but some will race around the Sunshine Coast because that is where the owners would like them to race.

“But, a lot of my owners are right behind Kayla as well and will be more than happy to take their horses wherever to let her ride them.”