Liberty Smyth landed her first career win when riding the well-named Dwayne ($1.75) to victory at Port Macquarie on Tuesday.
Riding for her master, Nathan Doyle, Smyth explained that she had to use their ‘plan B’ on the 4YO So You Think gelding in the 1500m Maiden Plate.
The pair commenced well from gate seven and raced on the speed alongside stablemate Bohemian Art (Ash Morgan, $2.60) before pulling away and winning by 1.26 lengths.
“What a thrill to ride my first winner for Nathan, my boss there in Newcastle,” Smyth said after the win.
“I am absolutely so grateful to JJJ Racing for letting me have the ride today; they allowed me to trial him a couple of times, and there’s an owner here today, and a lot more in him, so I’m very grateful to him, and very grateful that Nathan put me on today.
“He was excellent, wasn’t he. We were worried about being in that wide gate, that there might be a little bit too much speed on our inside. I walked the track with Nathan earlier, and he said, If you have to, just go back.
“He (Dwayne) pinged the lids, and we went forward, which was plan B, and lucky we did because I don’t think we would have run Bohemian Art down.
“I am really rapt and just incredibly grateful; It’s exciting, and hopefully more to come.”
The burgeoning apprentice is from a racing family, being the daughter of Rockhampton-based trainer Kerrod Smyth.
Smyth was born in Gladstone and, as a youngster, relocated to Rockhampton, where she eventually attended Rockhampton Grammar School and worked at Callaghan Park.
Smyth began with trackwork at the Sunshine Coast and then stepped into the apprentice ranks, riding in nearly 40 Queensland trials earlier last year.
A move to Newcastle followed, and after more trials for the likes of Doyle and Kris Lees, Smyth was approved to ride in December and made her race-day debut at Coffs Harbour on December 27.
Only six rides into her career, Smyth is now a winner, and the 28-year-old is thankful for the support and opportunities.
“My dad (Kerrod Smyth) is a trainer in Rockhampton, and that’s how we were introduced to it, all of us children, and I made my way back here after a fair few years away,” Smyth said.
With Doyl, Kris Lees, and other prominent trainers in Smyth’s corner, it appears the apprentice jockey’s future is looking very bright.
