“Luck never gives, it only lends” - just ask Kath Bell-Pitomac who long ago gave up trying to understand the vagaries of a jockey’s life. In the last two and a half years alone, this resilient lady has overcome a spate of injuries which would have tested the resolve of most contemporaries.
It was business as usual for the lady with the hyphenated surname when she turned up for three long priced rides at the Dubbo meeting on June 7th. As Kath went past the post midfield on Billabong Rose in the first race, she was unaware that her friend Chelsea Stanley had taken a heavy tumble when Legless Hodges broke down badly in the closing stages. Chelsea escaped injury, but was unable to fulfill later engagements which included the unraced Dusty Vermeer in an official trial following the last race. Trainer Troy Mc Carney knew the ever helpful Kath Bell-Pitomac would be the first to put her hand up.
Dusty Vermeer had been scheduled to trial three times in preceding weeks but missed out because of a spate of postponements. “He was way above himself going to the start and I could sense trouble when he persisted in dropping his head in the gates,” said Kath. “I called for assistance but before we could get his head up Dusty Vermeer went off. He reared over backwards and jammed my left leg against a rear upright. There was pain straight away, but I wasn’t too concerned initially. It was a different story when we saw the x/rays.”
Despite many a setback Kath always comes up smiling - courtesy Janian McMillan Racing Photography.
A fracture of the fibula just above the ankle and severe bruising was quickly diagnosed by Doctors at Dubbo Base Hospital. After lengthy deliberation it was decided surgery wasn’t required, and subsequent x/rays have confirmed the original assessment. Kath’s wearing a “moon boot” which gives her the freedom to apply ice packs to the inevitable swelling. The jockey knows only too well she’s now committed to zero weight bearing for six weeks after which extensive physiotherapy will begin. She’s been there before, and to some degree has learned to handle the frustration and tedium of a long layoff.
Less than twenty four hours later Kath was barely coming to terms with her latest setback, when more bad news was relayed to her hospital bed. Her family pet, retired racehorse Cutie Petoutie had been put down after shattering a shoulder in a paddock accident at home. Kath’s famous resolve was again put to the test, and again she took it on the chin
In the last two and a half years alone Kath Bell-Pitomac has given her body a merciless hammering. The horror run began in early 2022 when two separate trackwork accidents left her with pain in the left hip and lower back. She continued to race ride until that pain became unmanageable. Scans revealed the recurrence of an old sacroiliac injury requiring a long and intensive course of injections and physiotherapy. She returned to trackwork in May 2022 but found difficulty in handling short stirrup leathers. Further scans identified bulging discs in her lower spine. Injections and physiotherapy continued while Kath found “reformer pilates” had a very beneficial effect.
She returned to race riding at Nyngan on Anzac Day 2023 and was barely back in the swing of things when lady luck again deserted the hapless jockey. Only three weeks later a spooky young horse reared and slipped over, landing squarely on her right leg. She was shattered to learn she had to deal with complicated fractures to knee, heel, and foot with a torn MCL just for good measure. Her unwavering commitment to rehabilitation saw her riding trackwork by the end of August and back at the races by late October.
Kath has travelled huge mileage to honour commitments. She journeyed to Quirindi recently to win this one on Friendly Sizzle for good supporter Cindy Monaghan - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
The South Australian born horse devotee was proficient in the saddle from a very tender age, but wasn’t introduced to racehorses until early teens when her parents moved the family to Alice Springs. By then she owned no less than four horses and was heavily involved in pony club, dressage, showjumping and saddle horse club. One local trainer agreed to provide accommodation for Kath’s horses provided she was happy to take care of general stable duties around the stables. It wasn’t long before those duties included the exercising of thoroughbreds along the dry bed of the famous Todd River. Once word was out that a very capable kid was exercising horses along the river bed, Kath was inundated with offers. With every stride her passion for the breed deepened.
It was1999 when sixteen year old Kath Bell took up a full time job as trackwork rider for Noel Mayfield-Smith who was then working a sizeable team at Hawkesbury. The opportunity to ride regular work alongside experienced jockeys like Grant Buckley and Ken Dunbar, quickly improved her technique. A year later she moved to Newcastle where local trainers were constantly in need of capable work riders. Alf Peters, Steve Hodge and Alan Scorse were the first to recognise her talents.
It was Hodge who sought her help with a “barrier rogue” called Bon Voyage who had refused to enter the gates for experienced riders at the regular Newcastle starting gate sessions. After Kath had cajoled Bon Voyage into the gates on several occasions, Hodge expressed his disappointment that she wasn’t licensed to ride in races. That casual comment was enough to ignite the spark. Within weeks the nineteen year old was signed to an apprenticeship by Steve Hodge’s next door neighbour Terry Drayton. Steve however reserved the distinction of providing Kath’s first race ride at Cessnock on January 21st 2003. A third placing on Systematic Lass was almost as good as a win for the late blooming apprentice.
It was to be nine agonisingly slow months before that elusive first winner came along for Kath Bell. This time her boss Terry Drayton was the trainer, and the horse was a chestnut mare called Princess Zardia in a 900m maiden at Muswellbrook on September 5th 2003. “She had the best winter coat you’ve ever seen, and looked far from impressive when she came into the parade yard,” recalled Kath. “Didn’t matter, she bounced straight to the lead and won easily. It was an unforgettable moment and a far cry from the dry bed of the Todd River at Alice Springs.”
Kath has a soft spot for the Muswellbrook track where she won her first race in 2003. She was at the Brook again in March to win on Jet Empress. Here she is with Mel Mulholland, wife of the winning trainer - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
It’s a funny old game. Kath waited nine months between her first ride and first winner but her second win came just twenty four hours later on Beamer for trainer Mel Eggleston at a Newcastle Saturday meeting. She hadn’t realised it was a trophy race, and was horrified when plucked out of the lady jockey’s room to take part in the presentation procedure. “I nearly died when I was pushed to the microphone to respond,” said Kath. “It was a whole new experience for me and I was glad when it was all over.”
As the winners flowed her confidence grew. In just her second full season of riding Kath “tied” with Mitchell Bell (no relation) in the Newcastle apprentice’s premiership. She gave much of the credit for that stellar season to trainer Dianne Lumsden whose support was unfailing. Trivia buffs should take note of the fact that two young riders with the same surname dead-heated in a Newcastle apprentice’s premiership twenty years ago.
Kath still can’t fully explain what triggered her sudden decision to walk away from racing in 2004. “I started to struggle with some depression and became very disillusioned with the racing scene,” she recalls. “I was tired of the grind and the disappointments. I simply couldn’t concentrate and there’s no doubt I was suffering a classic case of burnout. I fled to Canberra where my father and brother were living and put racing completely out of mind. Little did I realise I’d be away for ten years.”
Kath met her future husband Daniel Pitomac soon after arriving in Newcastle. Daniel was apprenticed to Paul Perry and had already announced his arrival as a very capable young jockey. The couple are now the very proud parents of Caitlin who’ll be 18 in July, while son Marcus has just turned 13. Both love a day at the races and are quick to raise their hands whenever a junior “fashions in the field” comes up at a western districts meeting. Caitlin, a devotee of the arts, is showing great promise in several dancing pursuits. She’s currently one of the star performers at the Dubbo Eisteddfod. If it wasn’t for that infernal “moon boot” Mum might be out there showing the kids how it’s done.
Kath left the jockeys room to congratulate Marcus after a win in the junior Fashions In The Field at Orange - courtesy Janian McMillan Racing Photography.
Daniel Pitomac was forced out of the saddle by injury in 2019 and continues to deal with the legacy of numerous race falls. He takes a keen interest in the management of his wife’s riding career and derives tremendous pleasure in watching his children make their way in the world. Daniel’s move to Wellington (NSW) in 2012 indirectly brought about Kath’s return to the saddle. She’d already begun to ride a little trackwork with absolutely no intention of returning to race riding when Daniel was injured in a fall. She suddenly found herself with several of his regular rides on the training track. Her rhythm returned and so did her fitness levels. When locals informed her of a dire shortage of amateur riders in the region, she made an impulsive decision to regenerate her career on the picnic circuit.
Kath posted about twenty wins during her stint in the amateur ranks and enjoyed every moment of the experience. She was thrilled to win the Mallawa and Wean Cups during the 2015 Golden Triangle series in northern NSW. The horse to give her the important double was Dungiven from the stable of respected Moree trainer Peter Sinclair. Once back in top form Kath didn’t take long to announce her return to the professional ranks. Trainers like Dubbo’s Michael Mulholland welcomed her back with open arms and was delighted to put her on a very useful horse in early 2021.
During the picnic days! Kath wins the Wean Cup on Dungiven for Moree trainer Peter Sinclair - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
Kath won four races on Old Harbour culminating in the Country Championship Qualifier at Mudgee and was immediately confirmed as the gelding’s jockey in the rich final on the opening day of The Championships. Kath and Michael were devastated when Old Harbour developed tendon problems and failed to make it to Randwick. The jockey received some consolation a few months later when Who’s Tinny from the Alison Smith yard brought up her 100th career win at Bathurst. That tally is only a fraction of what it would have been with an unimpeded run from the beginning of her career.
The lady is 41 years of age and has to compete with a host of talented riders on the western line. My question about the likelihood of a return to the saddle was quickly shot down. “Of course I’ll be back the minute doctors give me a clearance,” said the tough-as-teak jockey. “There are two horses out there at the moment that I’d like to ride next preparation. I won races at Wellington and Quirindi on Friendly Sizzle for Cindy Monaghan and I like the filly a lot. The other one is Jet Empress trained by my old friend Mick Mulholland. I went all the way to Muswellbrook to ride her in March with happy results. They’re two nice mares who are just the incentive I need to get back into the saddle.”
It’s widely accepted that jockeys are among the toughest of all athletes. If you know one tougher than Kath Bell-Pitomac please put it in writing.
The smile says it all! Kath was delighted to win a Cl 1 at Muswellbrook on Jet Empress for loyal supporter Mick Mulholland - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
(Banner image - A Gunnedah win on Pitapat 12/09/2020 - courtesy Bradley Photographers.)