Savannah McCann doing the hard yards in the bush

By Jordan Gerrans

Every young jockey needs to travel far and wide to gain experience in the early stages of their career in the saddle.

Savannah McCann might be taking that to the extreme, however.

The 18-year-old has been bobbing up in almost every racing district of the Sunshine State as she builds her knowledge and skill set up.

Late last month she took a big book of rides at Mount Isa (North West district) on their TAB program.

Just a few days before that she rode at Mitchell (Downs district), which is just outside of Roma.

On her resume in recent months have also been trips to the Central West, Capricornia and Leichardt districts of the state.

She is doing all of this while being based in Toowoomba.

It is plenty of hours in the car and on air planes, but for the keen teenager she believes it will all pay off in the long run.

“I still have a few to tick off but I am making my way around,” she said.

McCann chats to Racing Queensland before a TAB meeting at Cloncurry in early October. 

She flew up to the North West of the state on the morning of the meeting.

She jumped in the car following the last race alongside a couple of other hoops to ride at Cunnamulla the following day.

It is more than 1,200kms from Cloncurry in the North West down to Cunnamulla on the way to the NSW border.

McCann works under the guidance of renowned apprentice jockey mentor Lindsay Hatch at Clifford Park.

“Lindsay has always told me that I need to get out and get around, showing people that you want to ride and that you can ride anywhere,” McCann said.

“That is the gist of what I am doing, so everyone knows who I am.

“I have been getting a lot of support doing it and I can now go to any region of the state and get a full book.

“I am going to be out in the country for a year so I would like to head wherever I want and get support at those tracks.

“I want to show people that I am committed to what I am doing and that I want to be the best.

“That is the goal at the moment.”

After taking her first race day rides in March of this year, McCann has quickly gone past 20 winners in a few short months.

It was a front-running ride at Cunnamulla earlier this year by McCann that caught the eye of top bush caller Andrew Watts.

Watts – who is also the president of the club in Longreach – has watched closely since as she has frequented the areas that he broadcasts.

“It is a testament to her want to improve as a jockey by coming out to these meetings,” Watts said.

“You come out here to cut your teeth and craft your trade.

“It is different racing out here than what you will get in the city and you get to ride against some really experienced old heads out here in the West.”

McCann first lobbed at Mick Lakey’s barn at Deagon before she eventually transferred her apprenticeship to be under the guidance of former champion jockey Chris Munce at Eagle Farm.

She has since headed to the Darling Downs and Hatch.

Hatch – who is renowned as a top mentor of apprentice jockeys – has had Jake Molloy, Angela Jones, Kyle Wilson-Taylor and Baylee Nothdurft work for his stable on the Darling Downs before they transitioned to riding in the city.

McCann is hopeful she can follow a similar path.

McCann says Hatch’s biggest strength as a boss is the time he puts into going through her replays with her following a weekend at the track.

“I am really lucky to be there, Hatchy and I get along great,” she said.

“He tells me what I need to do and what I need to do better, that is what we focus on.

“I do like Toowoomba, the vibe of it is so much more relaxed and I feel like I go a lot better there.

“I have established good connections with the trainers there and when I move to provincials, I will have those connections. It has been perfect for me, the move.”

Jones hails from Charters Towers in North Queensland before relocating to Toowoomba to work for Hatch.

McCann is also from the northern area of Queensland, previously calling Rockhampton home.

Watts thinks Jones’ progression to now being a city level hoop should be a goal for McCann and other bush kids.

“A lot of these younger jockeys could follow those paths and do really well,” he said.

McCann makes the trip to the Dalby and Northern Downs Jockey Club on Saturday for a book of five rides.