Thirteen months on from the first ride of an apprenticeship that began in her mid-20s, Wendy Peel travelled to Taree on Wednesday in search of her fourth Cup triumph and the 50th win of a fledgling career gathering pace.
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In the $25,000 Harrington Cup (1300 metres), Peel rode Port Gold, a six-year-old chestnut mare she piloted to back-to-back wins last month. The horse was chasing her fourth straight win, but finished fifth.
Last year was momentous in the life of the 26-year-old Tamworth-based jockey. After claiming her first career win, riding Didnt Even Kiss Me in the Tumbarumba Cup in February, she won 48 more winners, as well placing another 70 times.
Peel’s decision to pursue a long-held dream and become a jockey, at a relatively advanced age, has filled her with joy, made her concerned mother “quite proud” and marked her as a rider to watch.
“It seems to be paying off,” she said of her decision to become a hoop. “Hopefully I keep improving as my claim goes down. That’s the biggest thing.”
Scone-born Peel’s parents, Warwick and Karen, own a property at Spring Ridge, 86 kilometres south-west of Tamworth. She joined Tamworth-based trainer Sue Grills in April, having previously done track work in Palmerston, New Zealand, while preparing yearlings for sale there. “That’s sort of where it all took off,” she said, referring to her racing career.
After Palmerston, she did track work for the first lady of Australian racing, Gai Waterhouse. She then started her apprenticeship with Randwick-based Peter Robl, before joining Grills.
Following 19 trials, she made her race debut aboard the Robl-trained Percussion, at Canberra on December 1, 2017. The horse finished second last.
Riding since age two, Peel competed in show jumping and eventing up until 2015. “I always had in my mind that I wanted to be a jockey,” she said.
However, her mother, who worked as a track rider for leading Sydney trainer Peter Snowden, had other ideas. Peel said her mother “steered” her away from being a jockey because of the dangers involved.
“I’ve always done competing in eventing and show jumping,” Peel said. “And I think she [her mother] was hoping I’d maybe stick to preparing the yearlings for the sales, and stuff like that. But I just love it [being a jockey], and my parents support me 100 per cent now.”
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Peel has a degree in horse business management, which she did straight after high school. “So I’ve done quite a lot,” she said, adding that she does not regret starting her apprenticeship late.
On Friday at Tamworth’s eight-race TAB meeting, Peel will contest a heat of the Rising Star Series, in the Country Music Cup 24 January Class 3 Handicap (1400m). She will ride Montana Pines, a five-year-old gelding with one win from 20 starts. Peel likes the horse’s chances.
A win would, she said, draw her level with Robbie Dolan at the top of series’ standings. The top 12 jockeys at the end of the heats will compete in the final at Royal Randwick on June 10.
“It would be wonderful to be able to ride in the finals down there, especially with some of the Sydney rising apprentices,” she said.
It would be wonderful to ride in Sydney full-time, she added. “I’d love to be able to make it back to Sydney, at the end of the day, and be able to go and ride in town and be riding amongst the best.”
