By Tony McMahon
The old adage that all good things come to those who wait sits comfortably with Rockhampton apprentice jockey Alisha Donald.
At the Bowen races last Saturday, the 22-year-old’s long trail into the winner’s circle was completed when at just her third day of race riding, she won the $14,000 1470-metre feature race, the Whitsunday Cup aboard Annmarie.
“It’s a great feeling to finally get that monkey off my back; so special and really the feeling is too hard to explain - just awesome,” Donald said.
The win came about at Alisha’s seventh race ride after making her debut when third on Jink And Jive at Home Hill a fortnight earlier.
While Alisha has given that monkey the flick, she is the first to admit that her quest to become licenced to ride in races has been a long time coming.
A Gympie girl with both parents’ former jockeys who were reluctant to see her follow in their footsteps because of the harsh reality of jockeying, Alisha nevertheless forged ahead.
‘’I moved to Rockhampton when I was 18; I originally came up here to do University studies and become indentured as an apprentice at the same time,” she said.
“I rode trackwork at Callaghan Park and worked with some trainers to attain my goal of becoming an apprentice jockey.
“I realised I wasn’t mentally mature enough for that to happen but I kept riding track work.
“Since signing up more recently with Tim Cook, it has become a reality and I am committed and now mature enough to really make a go of it.”
Rockhampton trainer Tim Cook has a fine record as a mentor for apprentice jockeys commencing with Donna Carrigg, Carly-Mae Pye, Zoe White and Lachlan Dodds.
All became leading apprentice riders during their terms with Cook.
“I really don’t know but I suppose young apprentices are like young horses in so many ways as both have to be educated about racing,” Cook said.
“I like to pick and choose what they ride and won’t allow them to have managers.
“That way I know exactly what is going on and I can look after them.”