Young doubles training tally at home track

Lisa Young had plenty of success as a jockey and now the Canterbury horsewoman is enjoying her time on the other side of the fence as a trainer.

Young rode for 11 seasons and won 159 races in the saddle, including two at stakes level, with her first coming on the Kevin Hughes-trained Eternal Melody (NZ) (Shinko King) in the 2003 Listed South Island 2YO Stakes (1200m).

Injury curtailed Young’s jockey career seven years later, but she continued to ride track work before working as stable foreman for Stephen Marsh’s Riccarton barn. It was when the Cambridge horseman decided to close down his South Island stable that Young decided to pursue training her own team.

“I rode a few winners and then broke my leg badly,” Young said. “I was going to come back riding, and it just wasn’t right, so I ended up putting that to bed.

“I rode work for a while and then I ran Stephen Marsh’s Riccarton barn for a few years and when he shut up shop I thought ‘bugger it, I will give it a crack’.”

Young commenced training last season, and she celebrated her first win at Riccarton in March courtesy of Shameful (NZ) (Shamexpress), and she doubled her tally at Riccarton’s synthetic meeting on Wednesday when Royal Assent (NZ) (Ten Sovereigns) broke through for her maiden win in the Avon City Ford Supersite Sell Out On Now Maiden (1400m).

“It was a super run, a great ride by Bridget (Grylls), she gave her a lovely trip,” Young said. “It was a tough effort because Reservoir came again and she has kicked back and done the job.”

Young said Royal Assent will now likely head to Ashburton next month.

“There is a meeting at Ashburton on July 2, it is a good money day, so it would be silly not to have a crack if the track is not too wet,” she said.

Young has eight horses in work at the moment and she is particularly excited about the future of juvenile filly Imelda Melody (NZ) (War Decree), who is set to make her debut next week.

“I have got a really nice two-year-old filly called Imelda’s Melody, she is one to watch out for,” Young said. “She is a nice, professional filly.

“She is going to have her first start next week at Riccarton and then she will probably go out for a spell.”