The proposed closure of Singapore racing in October 2024 wasn’t a factor in Danny Beasley’s decision to return to Australia in January. “Racing at Kranji was still reeling from the effects of covid and a recovery seemed a long way off, but nobody saw this coming,” said the popular jockey. “Twenty three resident trainers were gobsmacked to learn recently that the 120 hectare Kranji racecourse site was needed for future housing and shopping development. I’d already made up my mind to resettle in Australia for my final years as a jockey.”
Danny was a hit with Singapore trainers from the moment he arrived in 2008 with a highly impressive Australian CV. At the time he’d ridden almost 1200 winners including 14 at Gr 1 level, and had been on some high profile horses for several leading stables. He won another ten Gr 1’s among hundreds of winners in Singapore up to the time of his surprise retirement in 2017. He was 41 years old and keen to start exploring options for his long term future in the racing industry. Dan would spend the next four years as assistant trainer to his good friend and fellow expat Aussie Danny Meagher.
Meagher couldn’t have been more delighted to learn that his new partner wanted to continue riding trackwork and participate in the regular Kranji barrier trials. “It suited me to have the best of both worlds,” said Beasley. “I enjoyed riding the horses and contributing to their training. It was also the perfect way to keep myself fit. Four years would pass before the bug bit me again. I was light enough and fit enough to get straight back into it, and I got immediate support from local trainers. I never expected to win another four Gr 1’s on the comeback trail. Lim’s Lightning gave me a wonderful treble by winning the Lion City Cup, Raffles Cup and Singapore Gold Cup while Lim’s Kosciuszko won the Singapore Derby, the race most prized by local owners and trainers. Danny Meagher and owner Lim Siah Mong made it all possible. I’ll never forget the support both gave me at that stage of my career.”
This is the last of Danny's ten Singapore Gr. 1 wins - the highly prized Singapore Derby on Lim's Kosciuszko.
Trainer Danny Meagher (wearing hat) was elated to win Singapore's favourite race for valued client Lim Siah Mong.
Danny enjoyed every moment of his fifteen years in Singapore, but the prospect of a return to Australia was always in his thoughts. With the enthusiastic support of his family the respected jockey left the unique island country last December and relocated to Wagga in the heart of his beloved Riverina. His Malay born wife Ash, son Mikayl (11), and daughters Phoenix (10) and Sonique (3) quickly fell in love with their new home. “My parents Bob and Judy are delighted to have us back in Wagga, and it’s been wonderful to reconnect with my sisters Renee and Amy and brother Sam. My kids have gotten a big kick out of meeting their many Aussie cousins.”
When I got Danny on his mobile phone on Sunday morning, he’d just departed Wagga for the relatively short drive to Narrandera where he’d committed to five rides for trainers Michael Travers, Mitchell Beer and Donna Scott. He was relaxing in the passenger’s seat while his father Bob was doing the honours as official chauffeur. Seventy four year old Bob Beasley is enjoying his frequent visits to the tracks he’d gotten to know during his very successful years as a jockey. He was one of the most in demand riders in the region when a serious race fall in 1981 left him with a complicated leg break. He made the decision to quit the saddle on the advice of his specialists.
A win on Hong Kong Fighter for Travers in the opening race at Narrandera followed a rewarding day at Royal Randwick where Danny shared riding honours with in form Jason Collett. He and the expat Kiwi each notched a winning double on the ten race card. Danny struck early with a copy book ride to win the TAB Highway for Wagga trainer Wayne Carrol on Salute Again. He rode an equally “pretty” race to win the listed Civic Stakes on Ucalledit for Australian Bloodstock and Kris Lees. Just two weeks earlier he’d bagged a Randwick double with Cliff House for Tim Donnelly and Pascero for the Busuttin/Young team. Two Randwick doubles in two weeks far exceeded his expectations. Sandwiched in between was the Kembla meeting on Saturday June 17th when he notched another double on Treize (John Sargent) and Shadow Raiders (Blake Ryan).
Ucalledit completed Danny's second Randwick double in as many weeks, and at stakes level to boot! Note Danny doesn't use the "toe-in" style. He sees nothing wrong with the old way - courtesy Steve Hart Photographics.
“When I got on the plane to return to Australia, I really doubted the likelihood of my ever getting that kind of recognition again,” said Dan. “I remember thinking that none of the new trainers like Chris Waller, Anabel Neasham or Maher/Eustace would have a clue who I was or what I’d achieved. My plan was to settle down in Wagga, ride plenty of trackwork and compete at as many local meetings as I could manage. Tim Donnelly and Gary Colvin got me up and going and others followed when they saw how keen I was.”
There was a great deal of interest in Danny Beasley’s return to Australian racing at Wagga on January 5th this year. Trainer Tim Donnelly painstakingly planned Participator’s preparation with a view to putting the jockey on a winner at his first day back. The trainer’s judgement was again to the fore when Participator, burdened with 60.5 kgs saluted in a BM66 with a jubilant Danny Beasley on board. The gelding was the jockey’s only win for the day, but he managed second placings on two other mounts for local trainers. Beasley was back, and momentum quickly gathered for the popular rider.
His two Randwick doubles in as many weeks were preceded by a haul of four winners in consecutive races on Wagga Cup day May 5th. In the Cup itself he had to be content with fourth on Another One, but was more than happy with his day’s work. A win on Cliff House for Tim Donnelly the previous day, made it five in twenty four hours. “The city opportunities are a result of very good work by my manager Hayden Kelly who also looks after Shaun Guymer, Blaike McDougall, Tyler Schiller and Brendan Ward,” said Danny. “Whenever Tyler is unavailable for city rides, Hayden puts my name forward and has been getting pleasing results.
Danny at the peak of his form in the early 2000s. Twenty years on he's riding as well as ever - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
“I’d like to stay in Wagga, but I’m happy to travel if city opportunities keep coming up. Last week I flew to Sydney on Friday night and stayed at a motel near the airport. I was at Randwick in plenty of time for the 11am first race, and comfortably made my return flight on Saturday night even though I rode in the last race. I was back home with the family in Wagga by 7.45pm. If the opportunities persist through the winter, I’ll continue to fly to Sydney on the Friday nights because of the fog problems on the road. In the warmer months I’ll travel by car with dad at the helm.”
It’s been a fantastic journey for the affable jockey who won his first race just over thirty years ago - a 1400m Open Hcp at Corowa on a gelding called Power Street for trainer Donna McQueen. Danny was initially apprenticed to Peter Maher at Wodonga, but later transferred to Lee Freedman at Flemington. The Freedman brothers were on the crest of a wave at the time, and gave their new apprentice some exciting opportunities. Equally supportive was David Hayes whose Melbourne stables were situated right next door to the Freedman barn. “Lee let me ride some work for the Hayes stable when my commitments for him had been completed. I’ve never done the calculation but I’m pretty sure I rode more winners for David Hayes than I did for my boss during that period.”
Danny spent the last two years of his apprenticeship with Graeme Begg at Randwick, an opportunity that came about under unusual circumstances. One day in April 1995 Begg rang Danny out of the blue with an offer of two rides at the Rosehill Saturday meeting. “He’d obviously seen some of my rides on Sky Channel and was happy to use my claim in Sydney,” recalled the jockey. “The horses in question were Remouche and Baldeen. They both had good runs and both won. I was over the moon.”
Danny wins the 2001 Gr. 1 Ansett Australia Stakes at Rosehill on the Waterhouse trained Tempest Morn. Runner up was Rose Archway (Brian York) - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
You wouldn’t expect a Sydney based jockey to ride his first Gr 1 winner in Melbourne, but that’s the way it panned out for Danny Beasley. Astute trainer Jim Conlan offered him the rides on stylish chestnut mare Miss Pennymoney in both the Futurity Stakes and Newmarket Hcp. The daughter of Brocco beat all but Testa Rossa in a star studded edition of the famous WFA race, before brilliantly winning the time honoured Newmarket from Black Bean and Falvelon. “I spoke to the great Roy Higgins before the Newmarket, and he told me not to move until I saw the famous clock tower at the 150m,” Dan recalled. “I was absolutely bolting not far from the leaders and I thought that clock tower would never come. When it did, she fairly exploded. It was a special feeling.”
Danny’s ability to ride at a featherweight was the catalyst which launched his amazing association with the exciting galloper Grand Armee. “Jim Cassidy had won the Ajax Stakes on the horse a week earlier, but had no hope of making his Doncaster weight of 51.5 kgs. I remember Gai Waterhouse approaching me at trackwork early the following week and telling me not to take a ride in the Doncaster the following Saturday,” said Danny. “He was never out of second gear to win the Doncaster by over three lengths from Dash For Cash. I finished up having twelve rides on Grand Armee for seven wins including six Group 1’s. My other five rides resulted in second placings all at Group level. I wasn’t popular with the fans when we upset Lohnro at the champ’s final start in the 2005 Queen Elizabeth Stakes but the win was very satisfying. I’d devised a plan by which I thought we could upset Lonhro, and it worked out perfectly. Grand Armee was the best horse I’ve ridden.”
One of Danny's six Gr. 1 wins on Grand Armee - the 2004 Queen Elizabeth Stakes defeating Lonhro - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
The talented jockey regards Victory Vein as easily the best two year old he’s ever been on. Danny rode the Bede Murray trained filly in nine of her twelve wins, reeling off eight out of nine at one point. He still blames himself for Victory Vein’s narrow defeat in the 2002 Golden Slipper won by Calaway Gal. “I was probably too confident in hindsight,” he says. “I chased the leader more than I should have and got to the front too early. Calaway Gal grabbed me in the last few strides. That’s the one I’d love to have over again. I got some consolation the following year when I won the Slipper for Graham Rogerson on Polar Success.”
One of nine wins on the brilliant filly Victory Vein - the 2002 Sweet Embrace Stakes at a Canterbury night meeting - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
Other notable Gr 1 wins in Australia include the Metropolitan on Victory Smile, Ansett Stakes on Tempest Morn, the Sires Produce Stakes and Flight Stakes on Fashions Afield. The Summer Cup doesn’t have Gr 1 status, but Dan’s especially proud of his four wins in the Boxing Day stakes race. Dan Beasley has always had a healthy regard for the rules, and the welfare of his fellow riders - attributes which will stand him in good stead now that his nineteen year old son Baxter is a recent appointee to the Racing NSW steward’s panel. “He loves the game and has a great racing mind,” says Danny. “I’m no different to any other father when I say he’ll do a great job in his chosen field.”
In an era when veteran jockeys continue to excel, Danny has found a new lease of life at 48. His longevity is largely attributable to the fact that he hasn’t had to live in the sauna. As aforementioned he rode Grand Armee at 51.5 kgs in the Doncaster twenty years ago. If required, he could ride in next year’s Doncaster at the same weight. “I walk around most days of the week at 53 kgs,” he said. “I wouldn’t need too much notice to ride at 51 kgs or lower for the right horse in the right race.”
A quick check of statistics provided by Racing And Sports reveals that Daniel Beasley is currently sitting on 1806 career wins of which 607 were attained in Singapore. He has 24 Group 1’s on his CV, 14 in Australia and the rest in Singapore. There’s no better testimony to his innate talents than the fact that he’s been able to return to the powerful Sydney racing scene and pick up where he left off fifteen years ago. There’s not a jockey in Sydney who wouldn’t be chuffed with two Randwick doubles in two weeks.
The smile says it all after spoiling the party for Lonhro in the 2004 Queen Elizabeth - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
(Banner image - Beasley wins the TAB Highway on the Wayne Carroll trained Salute Again at Randwick on Saturday - courtesy Steve Hart Photographics.)