Two interstate apprentices will feature at the annual New Year’s Eve meeting at Darwin on Saturday.
Dylan Stanley, based at Wellington in NSW, and Olivia Kendal, based at Ipswich in Queensland, have four rides each on the seven-event program at Fannie Bay.
Stanley has previous Northern Territory experience having ventured north in 2021 and apart from riding at Darwin, he has also had the opportunity to saddle up at Alice Springs and Adelaide River.
The 21-year-old, who is apprenticed to Dubbo trainer Kody Nestor, decided to accept a three-month offer to ride for Alice Springs trainer Terry Gillett.
Gillett’s daughter Dakota, who rides for her dad and mother Leanne – also a licenced trainer in the Red Centre – when she graces Pioneer Park, is currently spending time with the highly-successful Richard and Chantelle Jolly stable in Adelaide.
Dakota, second in the Alice Springs and Provincial jockeys’ premiership last season, headed to South Australia after a recent stint in Sydney where she worked on her craft under the guidance of Warwick Farm trainer Bjorn Baker.
Kendal is apprenticed to Ipswich trainer Beau Gorman and agreed to make the trip to the tropics when approached by Top End trainer Patrick Johnston.
The 25-year-old, who rides throughout Queensland, has had her fair share of injuries from falls since making her debut in 2021, which included a mishap at Rockhampton on December 21.
Undeterred, she backed up the next day for seven rides at Mackay before completing engagements at the Gold Coast and Ipswich leading up to Christmas.
After riding at Warwick on Thursday, Kendal will board a plane from Brisbane bound for Darwin on Friday before returning home late on Saturday night.
Stanley, who had his first race start in 2020, boasts 18 wins and 55 placings from 316 career starts, while Kendal has posted 62 wins and 113 placings from 405 starts.
On Saturday, Stanley will partner Chris Pollard’s stablemates Solid Rock, Hey Little Sister, Glenaureen and Miss Epernay.
Kendall will partner Johnston’s trio Barty Aya, Gelata and Ankle Rolex, as well as Mark Nyhan’s Vascotto.
Thoroughbred Racing NT chief executive officer Andrew O’Toole is more than pleased to see Stanley and Kendal feature at Fannie Bay this weekend.
“Dylan, who had four rides at Wellington on Boxing Day, arrived in Alice Springs on Wednesday, rode track work on Thursday morning and will fly up on Saturday,” O’Toole said.
“He wasn’t getting much of a go on the country circuit in NSW, so he thought he’d come back to the Territory and give it a crack.
“He came up here in 2021 when Nyngan trainer Rodney Robb brought horses up for the Darwin Cup Carnival.
“After celebrating a few wins in Darwin and Alice Springs, Dylan, who is very tall jockey, injured his knee during track work here in Darwin and from what I understand it took him a long time to come right.
“Former champion NSW country jockey Greg Ryan, who lives in Dubbo, has been helping Dylan with his riding lately.
“Despite his height, I always thought that he had a little bit of ability – so here’s hoping that Dylan’s return to the NT is successful.”
It’s not uncommon for interstate jockeys and apprentices to make “fly in, fly out” visits for race meetings in the Top End and Alice Springs, while others have remained in the NT for the duration of the Darwin and Alice Springs Cup Carnivals.
Victorian jockey Stan Tsaikos has made endless trips to the NT over the years, while Canberra-based jockey Aaron Sweeney decided to relocate to the Top End after having the opportunity to ride during the 2023 Darwin Cup Carnival.
“Olivia, who along with Dylan will claim 3kg on Saturday, certainly doesn’t mind travelling and during December she has ridden at Rockhampton, Thangool, Ipswich, Emerald, Kilcoy, Toowoomba, Nanango, Mackay, Warwick, the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast,” O’Toole said.
“She’s ridden a few winners – I saw her ride a winner the other day at Rockhampton, then she had a fall.
“I had just booked her flights, but she bounced back and rode the next day – she must have something about her.
“Olivia is just coming up for the meeting on Saturday, so hopefully she will enjoy her first experience at Fannie Bay.
“Because she has ridden at various Queensland country tracks, I don’t think riding on the dirt at Darwin will phase her.”
Kendal, who has rides at the Sunshine Coast on New Year’s Eve (Sunday) and Toowoomba on New Year’s Day (Monday), is understandably excited about her NT sojourn.
“When I was offered the rides at Fannie Bay, I jumped at the chance,” she said.
“I’m really looking forward to the trip and hope I can land a winner or two up there.”
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