Drought ends as NT apprentices take on interstate opposition

Over 450mm of rain has fallen at Fannie Bay these past seven days, but there’s also one other drought that will finally end in Darwin on Saturday.

For the first time since 2014, Northern Territory riders will compete against the best apprentices from around Australia.

Thoroughbred Racing Northern Territory chief executive Andrew O’Toole is also looking forward to the fact that the opening heats of the 2023 National Apprentice Race Series will take place at Fannie Bay.

There will be six heats with two races taking place in the Top End on Saturday, but unfortunately there will be no representation from NSW.

“We here in the NT haven’t been in the series in nine years because we haven’t had enough kids and then there was Covid – that impacted the series for a couple of years,” O’Toole said.

“It’s good that we’ve actually got a few kids up and rolling so that we can be back in it.

“There used to be a heat on Alice Springs Cup Day – that was the last leg – and a number of our kids have participated over the years.

“The likes of Simone Montgomerie, Melanie Tyndall, Cara Angel, Kate Brooks, Alana Brown and Felicia Bergstrand – they all went and rode in it.”

The other heats are scheduled for Belmont (WA) on March 15, Hobart (Tasmania) on March 19, Strathalbyn (SA) on March 22, Eagle Farm (Queensland) on March 29 and Sandown (Victoria) on April 19.

A team’s event, riders will accumulate points for their state according to where their mount finishes in a race with the eventual winners determined following Heat 6 in Melbourne.

Alice Springs apprentice Dakota-Lee Gillett, 17, will represent NT on Saturday, with the Red Centre’s Ianish Luximon, 25, heading to WA and SA and Darwin’s Jade Hampson, 19, riding at Queensland and Victoria.

The NT won’t be sending a representative to Tasmania as it will clash with the St Patrick’s Day Cup meetings at Darwin (March 18) and Alice Springs (March 19).

“We can’t send a kid interstate who has only ridden a handful of winners to ride at a metropolitan track, especially when they’re not used to riding on grass,” O’Toole added.

“That’s why we will send Jade and Ianish interstate because they’re just a bit more experienced.”

The Top End’s Emma Lines, 16, and Central Australia’s Lek Maloney, 19, have only just started their careers and although they will feature this weekend they won’t be riding interstate at this stage.

Gillett has also ridden in NSW, Luximon spent years in Tasmania, and Hampson has had a taste of it in WA and SA.

Luximon, who arrived in the NT in late 2021, has posted 31 career winners, while Hampson (26 wins), Gillett (7), Lines (5) and Maloney (4) kicked off their careers last year.

Although Luximon, Hampson, Maloney and Lines will compete on Saturday, Gillett is the only NT rider who can accumulate points.

Interstate riders on deck at Fannie Bay include Sophie Wilcock (Qld), 27, Jade Doyle (SA), 24, Brooke Hanham (Tas), 20, Matthew Chadwick (Vic), 24 and Cassey Martinan (WA), 24.

All 10 apprentices will feature in the first race over 1200m (BM54), while the five interstate riders and NT trio Gillett, Lines and Maloney will appear in the second race over 1100m (Class 2).

It is believed factions in NSW have pushed to have NSW apprentices participate in the series and host a heat, but it has fallen on deaf ears.

Surprising as the experience would benefit NSW apprentices, with Newcastle, Gosford, Wyong or Port Kembla more than suitable venues.

Connections and trainers nominate their horse for any race in the series on a voluntary basis.

Apprentices are allocated their ride in each race by a random draw conducted by the Principal Racing Authority in each state – in the case of the NT it was the Darwin Turf Club.

The nominated rider for each state will be identified by wearing the applicable state’s coloured breeches.

NT and interstate apprentices will be accompanied by chaperones when travelling for various heats.

O’Toole confirmed that Luximon will travel independently to Perth, but will most likely be accompanied by TRNT board member Greg Aldam when he rides at Strathalbyn.

“Jade will get Briony Moore from South Australia to look after her in Brisbane and Peter Hall from Western Australia will keep an eye on her in Melbourne,” O’Toole said.

Interstate chaperones include Shane Scriven (Qld), Moore and Dean Pettit (SA), Darren Gauci and Alf Matthews (Vic), Dale Spriggs and Stephen Maskiell (Tas), and Hall and John Claite (WA).

Other apprentices to represent their state during the series have also been confirmed.