Michael Travers was quietly chuffed in late 2018 when Racing NSW announced that jockeys would be permitted to both ride and train horses in their home state from the beginning of the following year. Wagga based Travers had been lobbying for a dual licence system for several years and may have been forced to wait a little longer, had it not been for the persistence of Michelle Payne.
The Melbourne Cup winning jockey had been riding and training her own horses in Victoria for over two years, but was frustrated by a policy that wouldn’t allow her to ride the same horses in Sydney. Michelle mounted her case at exactly the same time Michael Travers was waging his own campaign. Between them they convinced Peter V’landys that a dual licencing system would enable jockeys to transition into training, thus keeping many of them in the industry.
It took Michael a considerable period of time to acquire stables, and even longer to gain the support of owners who were prepared to engage him as a trainer and a jockey. He produced a handful of runners with no success early in the year, but his moment in the sun wasn’t too far off. On April 11th this year on one of his favourite racecourses, Michael created a little piece of NSW racing history when he guided Estaverdi to a narrow win at Gundagai. He completed a dream day by winning a later race on Moore Euros for Braidwood trainer Luke Clarke.
Michael became the first dual licence holder to train and ride a winner in NSW - Estaverdi at Gundagai 11/04/2021 - courtesy Trackpix Racing Photography.
With runners few and far between, it was eight weeks before Michael was able to train and ride a follow up winner. He produced Case Closed in pristine order and rode the gelding a copybook race to win an Albury maiden on June 15th. He admits his new workload took a little getting used to, but he was enjoying the challenge and the satisfaction of aiming for a win and achieving his goal. Win number three in his dual role came as recently as August 8th when he won a Wagga maiden with the fashionably bred four year old mare Mathrin. Wins were hard earned but enormously satisfying.
The forty eight year old had completed a day’s work before he even got to Narrandera on Saturday, but his efforts were handsomely rewarded. Michael had a ride in all six races which produced three winners and two seconds - a riding feat second only to that of Jeffrey Felix, who rode all five winners at the tiny hamlet of Prairie in Queensland. He won on Scorch The Turf from his own stable, and rode winners for Martin Stein and Rick Freyer. He trained and rode Blessed Award into second place in the opening race of the day.
A sign of the times! Michael wore the mandatory mask in winning on Scorch The Turf - courtesy Trackpix Photography.
It’s a good thing Michael Travers isn’t afraid of hard work. He had to attend to stable chores on Sunday morning before pointing his car in the direction of Moruya - a punishing four and a half hours away. This time he didn’t have the extra pressure of stable runners, but he did have rides in all seven races. Another two winners and a second placing helped to reduce the pain of the endless journey home. Michael judged the pace perfectly to score an all the way win on The Boomerang for Lynda Bundy in a BM 58 (2000m), and overcame a chequered run to get Big Steve home in a 1010m maiden for Anita Walder.
He had a much shorter trip to Albury on Tuesday but it was another frantic day with six rides including four of his own runners. He finished second on Delcoff in the opener, was unplaced in the second and third before having a race off. He rode Mathrin an absolute treat to win the Class 1 - his fifth success as a jockey-trainer and his sixth riding success in four days. He was out of a place in race six and then finished third on Kitty Karine at long odds in the last.
One of the provisos introduced by Racing NSW was a cap of five on the number of horses a jockey could train. With countless extra expenses involved, Michael quickly realised he’d need more horses if he were to stay in business. Racing NSW saw the validity of his claim, and granted an increase to eight horses. He expresses his profound gratitude to the two owners who’ve made it possible for him to reshape his career.
“Robyn Tatham and Peter Knight own all eight horses in my stable and are totally professional in the way they handle their team,” said Michael. “They have a great understanding of the characteristics of each horse. Most importantly they resist the temptation to fall in love with any one of them. If we agree that a horse can’t pay its way, Robyn and Peter are happy to move it on and look for a suitable replacement. They are an absolute pleasure to work with.”
Owner Robyn Tatham was delighted to provide Michael with his history making win on Estaverdi at Gundagai 11/04/2021 - courtesy Trackpix Racing Photography.
Michael Travers spent his childhood in Sydney and was introduced to the racetrack by his grandfather who was a regular racegoer. “Like many teenagers of my generation I was captivated by the atmosphere of the track,” he said. “Remember I’m talking about an era of big crowds, colourful characters, unforgettable horses and legendary trainers and jockeys. I loved everything about the game and I enjoyed a little punt at the same time.”
The talented horseman’s two favourite horses of the early 1990’s remain his favourites to this day. “I saw most of Super Impose’s twelve wins on Sydney tracks and he was so exciting to watch,” recalled Michael. “I’ll never forget his four metric mile wins at Randwick. He did the impossible in his second Epsom win.”
The second of Michael’s pin up horses was the dashing little sprinter Show County - not the greatest sprinter to grace Sydney’s racetracks, but unfailingly honest. He was a $20,000 yearling who went on to win a million dollars. “I think the appealing part of the Show County story is the fact that the Doyle family remained incredibly loyal to trainer Max Wiggins and jockey Brian Wood all the way through,” said Michael. “Woody rode him in all but one of his twenty seven starts and that was the result of a jockey’s strike. A great story.”
Michael got his inspiration from horses like Show County seen here in one of 12 wins in the 1990s. Jockey is Brian Wood - courtesy Steve Hart Photographics.
Motivated by his fascination with thoroughbreds and with memories of Super Impose and Show County pounding in his brain, young Travers set about getting his hands on a racehorse or two. Convinced that he’d quickly get it out of his system, Michael’s parents agreed to let him spend some time in Rosehill racing stables on weekends and school holidays. He began his basic education in the handling and management of horses by working as a strapper for Paul Sutherland who occupied a prominent spot on the trainer’s ladder at that time.
He later spent some time with Ray Guy, another successful Rosehill trainer who was rarely without a capable apprentice jockey. “It was Ray Guy who gave me the devastating news one day that I was far too big to be a jockey,” said Michael. “He told me my thick wrists were a sure sign I’d get too big. He said that Tim Phillips who was also in the stable was a much better prospect. I wonder what Ray would think today if he knew I was still riding while Tim is as big as a front rower.”
Michael finished high school at the conclusion of Year 12 and immediately focused on a teaching career. He undertook a Bachelor Of Education Degree which he completed in the allotted four years, after which his thoroughbred aspirations resurfaced. He enrolled for a three month pre apprenticeship school at Armidale, desperately hoping that a Sydney jockey’s premiership wasn’t beyond the realms of possibility.
Then came a stint with Hawkesbury trainer Noel Mayfield-Smith who became alarmed when his new recruit spent more time on the ground than he did in the saddle. “My riding was awful,” Michael confessed. “For a few weeks there I was falling off once or twice a week. I decided to call it quits and look for a job as a high school teacher. Many punters and racing fans will be surprised to learn that the jockey who’s ridden six winners in four days, taught Science, Religion and Music in two stints as a high school teacher. I’d love to hear from anybody who knows of another professional Australian jockey who plays excellent piano and can read music expertly.
Michael has more than 950 career wins under his belt. He'd love to reach the magical 1000 mark - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
He was almost 24 years of age when a never ending restlessness led him to Racing NSW apprentice coach Maurice Logue. The ever helpful Logue arranged a pre vocational course for Michael with Albury trainer Rob Wellington who was impressed enough some months later to indenture the young hopeful. Michael had to call time on that apprenticeship when his father Geoff was diagnosed with cancer. With Rob Wellington’s blessing he returned to Sydney and quickly picked up the threads of a teaching career, while offering regular support to his parents. Following his father’s passing Michael elected to return to his apprenticeship despite a rewarding year in the classroom.
He spent further time with Rob Wellington followed by a short stay with Norm Loy, and then an opportunity came up with the high flying Paul Perry at Newcastle. “Paul didn’t realise he was giving me lifetime bragging rights when he let me ride Choisir several times in trackwork,” said Travers.
“Looking back now he’s by far the best horse I’ve ever sat on and I’ll never forget the experience. Even on the training track it’s a massive thrill to ride a horse who retired with seven wins and eleven placings for $2.2 million. Who will ever forget his historic King’s Stand - Golden Jubilee double at Royal Ascot in 2003. I still can’t believe I got to ride him work on a few occasions.”
Michael was one excited apprentice when he arrived at Albury racecourse on September 5th 1998 to make his race riding debut on Markillies trained by his master Rob Wellington. He picked up a late ride in an earlier race but wishes he hadn’t. “I rode a horse called Mr. Woodstock earlier in the day and he got beaten out of sight which did nothing for my confidence,” recalled Michael. “Markillies ran a huge race to go under by a nose to Savage Joy in a Class 3. Happily he gave me my first win at Tocumwal only a few weeks later.”
His love of race riding and an insatiable appetite for work has seen Michael accumulate 955 wins in the twenty three years since his Tocumwal triumph on Markillies. He says Proprietor is the best horse he’s ridden in a race. “I got to ride him three times during my association with Paul Perry and actually won a race on him by 5 lengths at Newcastle early in his career,” recalled Michael. “Mind you I didn’t expect him to win a Gr 1 Galaxy down the track.”
One of five wins for Michael last weekend - The Boomerang at Moruya on Sunday for trainer Lynda Bundy - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
Michael’s all time favourite is Piracy on whom he won eight races including the Balranald and Gundagai Cups of 2008. “He was raced by my mother Rae who has given him a home for life on her outer Sydney property,” said Michael. “He’s in great shape at twenty three years of age.”
The trainer-jockey is very focused on reaching the 1000 win milestone as did Kathy O’Hara at Kembla on Saturday. “I realise I’m in the twilight of my riding career at 48, but I’d love to reach that mark,” he said. “It may seem unimportant to many, but it would be a lovely little benchmark in a career I’ve enjoyed immensely.”
As this story is posted Michael Travers needs 45 winners to achieve his goal - not an unrealistic goal if he can maintain the form he’s in currently. He’s already a history maker as the first dual licence participant to win a race in NSW. If he happens to train the bulk of his future winners he’ll give those that follow something to chase.
Right at the moment Travers has the market pretty much to himself. Port Macquarie horseman Robert Agnew saddled up three winners in his dual role last year but didn’t ride them himself. He’s currently holding a trainer’s licence only. Another Port Macquarie horseman Peter Graham trained two winners under a dual licence last year, both ridden by Kirk Matheson. Peter hopes to return to the saddle if he manages to get over a nagging shoulder injury.
Michael makes it five in two days! Big Steve storms home to win the last at Moruya - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
In the meantime Michael is focused on the eight horse team he has in the stables previously occupied by David Heywood. Despite his sixty years, veteran jockey Brett Fliedner continues to enjoy a regular connection with thoroughbreds. He’s always happy to help out whenever Michael needs a “co pilot” on the training track.
The life of a successful jockey is very different to that of a hard working trainer. Once the jockey is out of the saddle he’s not obliged to give that horse a second thought. The trainer has to go to bed trying to work out why that horse raced below expectations a few hours earlier. Long hours and the thankless monotony of stable life may well be the reason very few jockeys have applied for a dual licence.
Hard work won’t hinder this dedicated horseman. Like all trainers he’s simply hoping he can find the kind of horse who takes the sting out of getting out of bed at 3am. Obviously he doesn’t expect to find another Super Impose or Show County. He’d be happy with two or three like Piracy who’s enjoying retirement on his mother’s property.
(Banner image - Scorch The Turf (inside) just nosed out Shafty to give Michael one of three winners at Narrandera on Saturday - courtesy Trackpix Racing Photography.)