Dey rides first winner
The amateur rider series has proven to be a great pathway into the professional ranks for several jockeys, and Monique Dey is hopeful she can be one of those success stories.
The Wanganui horsewoman has made an instant impact in her first season as an amateur jockey, placing in her first three starts before breaking through for her first win aboard Sidetrack (NZ) (Puccini) in the Race Images Appreciation Maiden (2100m) at Avondale on Wednesday.
While she had pleasing results in her first few rides, Dey wasn’t fancied to feature at Avondale, with the 26-year-old hoop booked to ride outsider Sidetrack.
The five-year-old gelding had no exposed form on the flat, having had two hurdle trials, and he was making his debut at the midweek meeting for owner breeders Dan and Jane Nugent-O'Leary.
The Caitlin McKee-trained gelding jumped away fairly from his wide gate and he settled at the rear of the field for Dey, for whom he raced kindly throughout. Dey asked her charge to improve with 700m to go and he made steady inroads to be within striking distance when turning for home. Dey let him loose out wide and he finished strongly to collar Heavenly Lady (NZ) (Echoes Of Heaven) in the shadows of the post to win by a short head.
Dey was pleased to notch her first win, albeit surprised.
“It was super unexpected, the horse had never trialled or raced, so it was really cool to get the win,” she said. “He settled well and did exactly what he was meant to do, and I was so happy when he kept going and going.”
The victory put Dey atop the Race Images Amateur Rider Series leaderboard on 29 points, ahead of Hannah Wilson, who sits second on 25 points.
Growing up on a farm, Dey inherited her mother’s passion for riding and spent her childhood hacking around her family’s property. Dey is delighted she has turned her passion into a career, having started working in the racing industry a couple of years ago.
“My Mum has always ridden horses, and I have ridden my entire life, just hacking around the farm, never anything too much,” Dey said. “I started working for Jo Rathbone two years ago and I have learned so much.”
Working in a jumps stable, Dey naturally set her sights on becoming a jumps jockey, and she felt riding as an amateur was a great stepping-stone to that goal.
“Six months into working for Jo I was determined (to ride on raceday) and it has just been pushing to get my licence ever since,” Dey said. “I want to be a jumps jockey and Shaun Fannin is mentoring us. Every week we do a zoom call and go through each race, and we talk about it all, it is really good.”
Dey is on target to attain her jumps jockey licence next year, but in the meantime, she is enjoying competing as an amateur and she said there is great camaraderie among her peers.
“Everyone is so lovely, we all get along really well,” she said. “It is really cool, fun and supportive.”
