There will be plenty of excitement in Alice Springs on Friday and Saturday when local product Dakota-Lee Gillett makes her debut in NSW as a jockey.
As of Thursday night, the 17-year-old had been booked for three rides in Coonamble on Friday and five rides at Dubbo on Saturday.
There is every chance she could have six rides at Dubbo, although Sausage Sizzle from George Woodward’s Walcha stable is listed as second emergency in his race.
The daughter of prominent Alice Springs trainers Terry and Leanne Gillett, Dakota-Lee headed to NSW last month to work on her craft for Wyong trainer Damien Lane.
After celebrating her first career win aboard the Leah Walling-Denton-trained Hard Work Rewards in the Red Centre on August 20, Dakota-Lee and her dad left for Wyong via Sydney the next day so the apprentice jockey could ride trackwork for Lane.
Lane obviously liked what he saw as Dakota-Lee has since based herself in NSW, where she also received further tutoring from former jockeys Malcolm Johnston, who is her uncle, and Corey Brown.
Dakota-Lee has been surrounded by horse racing all her life and always had the desire to become a jockey.
A regular strapper for the Gillett stable during Alice Springs meetings at Pioneer Park before starting trackwork as a 14-year-old, Dakota-Lee started to get serious about becoming a jockey when she was 15.
Travelling interstate to improve her skills and technique were part of the course – not an easy situation when you are also juggling Year 11 and 12 studies.
It was an 18-month commitment and after travelling to such places as Rockhampton, Balaklava, Townsville, Murray Bridge and the Gold Coast for trials, as well as the endless trackwork in the Red Centre and interstate, Dakota-Lee’s big day arrived when he she partnered her dad’s horse Policy in her first race at Alice Springs on July 17.
Policy finished seventh that day, but 13 rides and three race meetings later the teenager guided nine-year-old mare Hard Work Rewards to her first career win.
Alice Springs R1 replay | August 20, 2022 | Hard Work Rewards (1st)
After returning from Wyong the first time, Dakota-Lee had four more rides over two meetings in the Alice before relocating to NSW.
In 18 rides on her home track, she also managed three seconds, two thirds, two fourths and six fifths – a respectable achievement in anybody’s language.
Apart from her parents, Dakota-Lee – who currently claims 4kg – has plenty of admirers in Alice Springs and throughout the NT.
That includes Walling-Denton, who is delighted that the youngster has got a start in NSW.
“It’s great to see, absolutely – all of her hard work has paid off,” she said.
“When she rode for me her work ethic was unbelievable – I can’t fault her at all.
“All that travelling certainly fine-tuned her as a jockey.
“Dakota-Lee turned up every day, she’s a hard worker, she puts in 100 per cent.
“Whatever you tell her she’s going to listen and she does what she’s asked.
“There’s not a bad thing I can say about her, she’s a credit to Terry and Leanne.
“She was great – I adore her, I really do.
“I really do wish her the best in NSW.
“The experience she will get out if it – that’s what it comes down to.
“You’ve got to get out there, don’t you.
“I’d have her back in a heartbeat if she returned to Alice Springs, I really would.”
To prepare for her NSW debut as a rider, the teenager has featured in trials at Newcastle and Gosford this past month.
As of Thursday night, a host of jockeys had not been confirmed for numerous horses at Coonamble and Dubbo, so Dakota-Lee may end up with further rides.
Dubbo-based trainer Merv Rumble, who has had runners in Alice Springs and Darwin over the years, has engaged Dakota-Lee to ride the lightly raced Ogrim, who graced Pioneer Park and Fannie Bay from April through June last year, on Saturday.
Dakota-Lee’s rides at Coonamble on Friday and Dubbo on Saturday as of Thursday night were as follows:
Coonamble – October 28
Race 1 (Class 2 – 1600m): 10 Dream Lad (Kevin Dixon – Tamworth) 51kg
Race 5 (BM58 – 1100m): 7 Indian Thunder (Kevin Dixon – Tamworth) 52.5kg
Race 7 (BM66 – 1200m): 1 Great Buy (Brett Robb – Dubbo) 61kg
Dubbo – October 29
Race 1 (BM58 – 2200m): 7 Port Of Jeddah (Grant Finnigan – Scone) 51kg
Race 3 (Maiden – 1000m): 15 Brancusi (Janelle Galea – Dubbo) 51kg
Race 7 (Class 1/Maiden – 1600m): 9 George’s Man (George Woodward – Walcha) 52.5kg
Race 8 (Class 1 – 1200m): 14e Sausage Sizzle (George Woodward – Walcha) 51kg
Race 9 (Class 1 – 1200m): 7 Ogrim (Merv Rumble – Dubbo) 52kg
Race 10 (BM58 – 1300m): 1 Toulon Factor (Brett Robb – Dubbo) 60kg
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