With local jockeys unavailable for various reasons, Thoroughbred Racing NT continues to rely on interstate riders to fill the void.
Victoria’s Hannah Le Blanc, Western Australia’s Kyra Yuill and Queensland’s Carl Spry — a former Darwin-based jockey — are booked to ride at Fannie Bay on Saturday.
Yuill and Spry will appear at Alice Springs on Sunday, while South Australia’s Georgie Catania will once again make the trip to Pioneer Park.
A total of 19 interstate jockeys have featured in the NT since Day 1 of the Darwin Cup Carnival on July 6, including Tyson Schiller (NSW), Noel Callow (Qld), Sairyn Fawke (SA), Craig Newitt and Jason Maskiell (Vic).
Darwin apprentices Jade Hampson and Emma Lines are missing with, the former having relocated to the Gold Coast and the latter on holidays.
Top End riders Paul Shiers and Wayne Davis are recovering from injury, while illness has sidelined the Red Centre’s Phillip Crich.
Casey Hunter, a regular rider in Darwin and Alice Springs, has gone back to Albany in WA and her return is questionable.
Victoria-based Stan Tsaikos, who rarely misses a Fannie Bay or Pioneer Park card, will miss the next three NT meetings after being suspended at Alice Springs on Sunday.
Red Centre apprentice Dakota Gillett won’t return until October after incurring a suspension when riding for Darwin trainer Phil Cole at Betoota in Queensland on August 31.
Victoria’s Mark Pegus, who spent the past few months in the NT, has returned home.
Subsequently, the TRNT is still relying on interstate riders, with scratchings likely to continue at Darwin and Alice Springs until there are enough NT-based jockeys.
NT riders presently available include Darwin’s Jarrod Todd, Sonja Logan, Vanessa Arnott, Adam Nicholls and Aaron Sweeney, as well as Paul Denton, Jessie Philpot, Dan Morgan, Ianish Luximon and apprentice Lek Maloney in Alice Springs.
According to TRNT’s Greg Aldam, this unfortunate shortage of jockeys comes with a silver lining.
“We’re picking up some nice interstate riders who are recognising that the depth of NT racing is really good, it’s a good product,” he said.
“Interstate jockeys get an opportunity up here – Hannah Le Blanc has done a great job in recent times with a win in Darwin and back-to-back doubles in Alice Springs.
“With some 70 meetings a year in the NT there is also an opportunity for an interstate apprentice or jockey if they ever considered relocating to enhance their career.
“Hence why Jarrod Todd and Sonja Logan are here — they’re riding well and making a good living in a great part of Australia.”
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