By Ray Hickson
A life in racing is the goal for apprentice jockey Cassey Williams, and she doesn’t mind whether eventually that’s on or off the track.
For now, the 24-year-old is enjoying the ride as an apprentice and is hoping to continue a successful run at Armidale today on the two horses – Thunder Fox and Ballybrack – which recently provided her first career wins.
Apprentice Cassey Williams is looking for another good day in the saddle at Armidale.Credit:Fairfax
Williams kicked off in May and had a few disappointments before Thunder Fox was her first winner two weeks ago at Tamworth. She backed that up six days later with a double at Armidale.
“I almost couldn’t believe it. It was a huge relief after having so many rides and being on a few in the market and still not getting a win, so to get one was pretty special,” Williams said.
Williams moved to Armidale in 2019 and found a job as a stablehand with trainer Stafford Wain before taking up an apprenticeship. She is now with Stirling Osland and has the job of putting the stable’s runner in the $2million The Kosciuszko, Golden Point, through his main gallops.
The Ian Cook-trained Thunder Fox can land a hat-trick in successive weeks in the Catholic Schools Office Handicap (1400m), and with that easy heavy track win at Tamworth and a home-track victory last week under his belt, she can only be confident he will give another big sight.
“He seems to be going all right on wet tracks, and he’s a front-runner. Armidale is a front-runners track so I do think there is a lot of positives on his side,” Williams said. “He’s beautiful to ride. He’s a pleasure at trackwork but on the way to the barriers on race day is a different story.”
Eight-year-old Ballybrack was the second half of Williams’ double last weekend and she is hopeful a 2.5kg weight drop will allow him to be competitive up in class in the St Alberts College Rugby Union Club Handicap (1300m).
The gelding led all the way to a 1 length win over the same course and just has to negotiate a sticky barrier.
“I’d like to repeat it, I usually look at the speed in the morning when I see the scratchings,” she said.
