Rutledge chasing luck of the Irish in Sunshine State move

By Jordan Gerrans

Irish jockeys have flourished after relocating to the Sunshine State in recent times and Siobhan Rutledge is eager for that trend to continue during her ‘working holiday’.

Rutledge joins the likes of Robbie Dolan, Martin Harley and Luke Dempsey who have shifted across the world from their homeland to Queensland over the last couple of years.

The 26-year-old Rutledge has linked up with the father-and-son training team of Chris and Corey Munce at Eagle Farm and has gone close to breaking through for her first winner over the last week.

She has been in Australia for close to a month.

Fellow Irish products Dolan (Melbourne Cup), Harley (Magic Millions 3YO Guineas) and Dempsey (Vo Rogue Plate) have all had their names up in lights for their riding exploits in 2024.

Only four rides into her Australian stay, newcomer Rutledge is not thinking of winning the Melbourne Cup just yet but says she is loving her time in Brisbane.

“I have been really enjoying it but it was a real culture shock the first week,” she said.

“It is a completely different style of training and exercising the horses in the mornings, let alone racing.

“In fairness, they have been very patient with me in the yard and I suppose it is a different term of communication – just different ways of telling me what sort of trackwork to do as everything is timed.

“But, I am getting the hang of it now and I am actually really enjoying it.

“It is a really good way of doing things and very different to back home.”

Dolan and Rutledge were educated through the same racing academy while Rutledge knew Dempsey when he was riding over the jumps.

She has ridden two runners into the money for the Munces over the Christmas period.

The lightweight hoop finished third aboard Daisy's Pride at Caloundra just over a week ago and was also in the bronze position at Ipswich on Friday of last week piloting Araminta.

The Munces have big Magic Millions plans over the coming weeks after Vein Girl was a stylish The Debut winner at the Gold Coast earlier this month.

Stable mate Cool Archie also has ambitions to be prominent on Magic Millions day.

Co-trainer Corey has been impressed with Rutledge’s work ethic since she landed in Queensland and is hopeful she can soon nab a winner and get some momentum in her Queensland sojourn.

“She is a great asset to have in the stable,” Corey said.

“She can ride, there is no question. She can ride light and she does a good job with her trackwork.”

The racing in Ireland slows down over the winter months and Rutledge has been thinking for the last few years that a ‘working holiday’ Down Under might be a winner.

She has ridden close to 80 victories back home with her career highlights including lifting the Ulster Oaks and Connacht Oaks.

“I had it in my head for the last couple of winters that I wanted to come to Australia but I wasn’t sure where to go,” Rutledge said.

“I felt like this year was a good time to go after doing six winters back home.

“I expressed that to a few of my peers back home and through a few connections I got pushed towards Chris Munce’s stable in Brisbane.

“They told me it was a lovely yard; a family-run yard and they didn’t have enough nice things to say about them.

“I jumped on it, gave Chris a call and that was it – I booked my flights and applied for a visa and everything.”

Rutledge was approved for a year-long working visa and is planning to head back to Europe at the start of April when the local season gets going.

With Corey’s father Chris boasting a riding resume many jockeys would dream about achieving, the Brisbane newcomer is tapping into her new boss’ knowledge.

“Chris has been teaching me about all the racing here and the different tracks,” Rutledge said.

“I have had a few rides for them already and they can explain to me what different tracks are like before I ride at them and what is going to happen before it happens.

“He has done it all so it is a handy asset to have him helping me.

“It is great to be learning about how things are done here – never mind the racing – it is just such a good experience and eye-opening for me.”

Rutledge notes one of the biggest challenges she has found in Australia is the speed that races are run at compared to back home, declaring there are much more sprint trips and jostling for position early in events.

She is busy trying to make connections through riding trackwork to pick up more race day engagements in Queensland.