The Roman playwright who penned the words “Fortune Favours The Brave” would have been honoured to know that his iconic proverb would still be ringing true on Sydney racecourses more than 2000 years later. Apprentice Amy McLucas was completely oblivious to the works of Publius Terentius as she aimed Trooper Knuckle’s head for a narrow rails opening at the top of the Rosehill straight in Saturday’s TAB Highway. All she knew was that she’d need plenty of luck and a smattering of bravery if this bold tactic was to succeed.
Dylan Gibbons on King Of Spades did his best to discourage his young rival by closing the gap just enough for Amy to have to ease Trooper Knuckle out of the opening. Not to be denied, the twenty three year old Goulburn based apprentice lined up for another crack. This time she was pleasantly surprised when Trooper Knuckle relished the “biff and bash” and literally barged his way through the opening. He and King Of Spades looked momentarily unbalanced as they made heavy shoulder contact. Unfazed, Trooper Knuckle fought on gallantly to hold off the fast finishing Mr. Severino, while the winner’s stablemate Eastern Glow closed off strongly into third place.
Canberra trainer Keith Dryden didn’t expect to see Trooper Knuckle so close to the lead in the 1500m event. “I actually asked Amy to ride him midfield, but he absolutely flew the gates and probably could have led had we been so inclined,” said Keith. “As it turned out she got a cheap run behind King Of Spades and Lockdown Gamble. All we needed was a clear run and Amy somehow managed to find one. You wouldn’t expect to see such a lightly raced horse cope with that kind of contact as well as he did. I’ve been anxious to put Amy on a winning chance for some time now. She helped me out by riding an unruly one at the trials a few months ago, but every time I tried to reciprocate she had a prior commitment. We squared the account on Saturday.”
Amy and Trooper Knuckle were in full flight at the finish of Saturday's TAB Highway - courtesy Steve Hart Photographics.
The winner is by the Kooringal based stallion The Brothers War from Knucklemania and is a half brother to Macknuckle with whom Keith won ten races including three on Sydney metropolitan tracks and a listed Wagga Cup. Trooper Knuckle is raced by long time clients Lyn Barlow, Mick James and Jan James who’ve been breeding horses from the same maternal line for many years. The trio elected to continue their thoroughbred involvement following the sad passing of Lyn’s husband Bob eighteen months ago
Saturday’s win was number 107 for Amy in just three and a half years of race riding. It was her seventh in the city and her fifth TAB Highway success in five months. Just when her talents are being recognised by a wide range of leading stables, she finds herself with only five months of her apprenticeship remaining. “I took far too long to make up my mind to become a jockey,” she said. “I’d been absorbed in pony club, show jumping and eventing for six years and suddenly I was eighteen years old. I sought a job as a trackwork rider at Moruya for no other reason than to earn some pocket money. Former jockey Kayla McEwen introduced me to some local trainers, and I was hooked from the day I rode my first slow gallop. My mount was so slow they hadn’t even bothered to name him, but he ignited the spark. From the time I rode my first fast gallop I was hellbent on becoming a jockey. I was small and light. All I needed was a trainer to sign me up.”
Moruya horseman Jamie Stewart was the trainer to get Amy’s career on the road. She later transferred to another local in Mike Daffy, but it was Canberra trainer Doug Gorrel who supplied her unforgettable first race ride. “It was the middle of 2019 and I rode Exaggerate from the inside gate in a BM55 at Canberra,” said Amy. “He was the ideal first up ride. He just flew out of the gates, raced handy all the way before finishing third to Classic Conquest. I was chuffed and I’ll always be grateful to Doug for getting me started.”
From a low key start Amy has now posted 107 wins including 5 TAB Highways - courtesy Steve Hart Photographics.
Her recollections of that race are much clearer than those of her first winning ride on Atomic Blast at Moruya in September of 2019. “Chris Hensler was the trainer to give me the opportunity in a 1200m BM58 but in hindsight I wasn’t ready for that horse,” said Amy. “I got going at the 700m and he ducked out to the middle of the track on the hometurn. I did my best to keep him straight but he continued to drift right to the line and finished on the outside fence. I was conscious of several other horses on my inside but I didn’t have a clue where I’d finished. I couldn’t believe it when my number went into the semaphore. The whole thing was a blur.”
In the middle of 2020 Amy jumped at the opportunity to transfer her indentures to twin training sisters Emma and Lucy Longmire at the bustling Goulburn training centre. With this move came the opportunity to ride for several other stables, and a much easier access to city meetings should her weight allowance come under the notice of metropolitan trainers.
Within a few months it was obvious that Amy was one of the most improved apprentices in the region, and her opportunities increased accordingly. She stole the show at a midweek Canberra meeting just after Xmas in 2021 with a winning treble for three different trainers - Street Cred (Mick Smith), Kyalla (John Thompson) and Meg (Matt Dale). In late May of last year the Longmires were more than happy for their stable apprentice to transfer to prominent Randwick trainer John Thompson on a three month loan out arrangement.
Amy began her new role with a bang when she notched a winning double at a Newcastle Saturday meeting. She gave polished displays to win on Orbital Express for Jeremy Gask and Washington Towers for Todd Smart. Exactly one week later she notched another Newcastle double on Departing Bullet for Paul Niceforo and Sonnet Star for Damien Lane.
Amy makes it a double at Newcastle on Sonnet Star May 2022 - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
Perhaps Amy’s talents were best showcased in late November at Rosehill when she dealt with the unpredictable habits of Marsabit to win the $150,000 Country Classic. The gelding’s troublesome joints and unruly behaviour had sorely tested the patience of trainer Danny Williams who’d taken over the training of the horse on the recommendation of David Payne some months earlier. Danny opted for Amy’s 3kg claim and felt the horse had a much better chance than his $40.00 quote suggested.
The apprentice angled over from gate 15 in the 2000m event to have Marsabit midfield and one horse off the rail by the first turn. Amy looked to have problems when trapped between horses on the hometurn with Lord Desanimaux going strongly on her outside. Showing the little bit of daring that has subsequently become her trademark, Amy politely nudged Lord Desanimaux and jockey Tim Clark out of the way on straightening for home. Marsabit chimed in quickly but had no intention of doing everything according to the book. As he wandered out to the middle of the track, Amy switched the whip from right hand to left in very professional style, a tactic that usually encourages a normal horse to correct its course. But there’s very little normal about Marsabit, who defied logic by shifting outwards abruptly another three horses. Amy maintained momentum on the import to win cleverly from Dream Runner and Beckford. Keen judges lauded her ride.
Marsabit tried a few of his old tricks in the Country Classic but Amy coaxed him to victory - courtesy Steve Hart Photographics.
As the days and weeks tick away, Amy is bitterly disappointed that her priceless city and provincial claims will soon go begging. Most apprentices abstain from metropolitan participation until they’ve used up country and provincial claims. This young lady has nothing to lose by concentrating on the city meetings between now and June 20th when her apprenticeship concludes. She’s hopeful that five TAB Highway wins in six months will keep her under the notice of metropolitan stables over the next five crucial months. The young jockey is under no illusions about her career as a fully fledged jockey. “I know how tough it’s going to get,” she said. “It’s a matter of working out which region I should concentrate on, and then getting my nose to the grindstone. One way or another I hope to escape a few more pockets before I’m finished.”
With good supporter Danny Williams after the Country Classic - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
(Banner image - Trooper Knuckle (inside) capitalises on a rails run to beat Mr Severino (red winkers) in the TAB Highway - courtesy Steve Hart Photographics.)