BROOKE AINSWORTH AND AUDREY GUILLEMAN – THE LIFE STORY TO DATE OF TWO QUEENSLAND APPRENTICES

23/07/13

BROOKE AINSWORTH is 20-year-old and was born into a racing family. Her father is respected Beaudesert based thoroughbred trainer Ted. Whilst her only other sibling, an older sister, is “doing a university degree to become a school teacher”, Brooke saw her future as being in the racing industry and to that end she left school aged 15, after completing Grade 10 at Beaudesert High School, to become apprenticed to her father.

Whilst Brooke has worked full time for her father since leaving school, she’s only recently started living out her dream of becoming an apprentice jockey and to that end she had her first ride on her home track of Beaudesert during “the last week in February” this year. And she certainly didn’t take long to ride her first winner. On Saturday 9 March she travelled to Dalby, entrusted with four rides across the six-race card for various trainers. By the time the sun had set over the horizon that afternoon Brooke had bagged a double. She won the Lightning Handicap over 800 metres aboard the Rodney Hay trained Rattle ‘N’ Run. In 2003 that same race was won by the Pat Duff trained current dual Doomben track record holder, Star of Florida, in 43.87, which remains a national time standard for 800 metres to this day. Brooke then showed her versatility in the saddle by winning the Dalby Queensland Cotton Stayers Cup over 1960 metres aboard the Laurie Richardson trained Acting King.

Since that momentous day on 9 March, Brooke has continued to ride winners and following her victory aboard the Mark Palmer trainer Bronco at Beaudesert on Saturday 20 July, her tally now stands at 11, which means she can still claim a valuable three kilograms in the country area for another nine winners.

Asked her long term ambition, Brooke stated, “I’ll stay out in the country for a bit and keep learning and in time I’d like to win a premiership at the Gold Coast or somewhere like that”.

Brooke expects to ride at Gympie next Saturday and Nanango the following Saturday.

Brooke who tips the scales at 48.5 kgs can be contacted for rides on her mobile of 0439 947 132.

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AUDREY GUILLEMAN is surely one of the most interesting apprentices currently domiciled in Queensland.

Thirty-one-year-old Audrey was born and grew up on the Pacific Ocean bound island of New Caledonia, with her parents and one older sister. New Caledonia is 1,210 kilometres east of Australia and boasts a population of just over a quarter of a million. The other family members are still in New Caledonia, but Audrey took the decision to come to Australia three years ago to become apprenticed to Mike Moroney at Flemington. She’s currently just three weeks into a three-month loan to Gold Coast trainer Bruce Hill.

To date, Audrey has ridden 21 winners at tracks like Mornington, Cranbourne, Echuca, Warrnambool and Geelong in Victoria.

Prior to moving to Victoria, Audrey explained that she had also ridden in New Caledonia. “I rode in New Caledonia on their race days and I also bred horses there. I used to have a property there but when I moved to Australia, I sold everything”.

Audrey hasn’t ridden a winner in the few weeks she’s been in Queensland, but if her positive attitude is anything to go by, it won’t be long before she does. “I’m riding here at Beaudesert today and at Thangool next Saturday”. When I told Audrey how far Thangool was from Beaudesert, she merely smiled and retorted, “I’ll go anywhere to ride a winner, in fact if everything goes well, I might stay in Queensland after my three months are up. I really love the Gold Coast and the country meetings are really nice because people actually really love their animals and it’s more like a family environment and if everything goes alright, I’d also like to ride in the city”.

When asked what her normal day entails currently, Audrey stated, “We start at 3.30am and I ride about 12 horses, helping educate the young horses, or riding the older ones and I then work on the ground until 9.30am, then go back to the stables in the afternoon from 2pm to 5.30pm and muck out (the boxes) and swim the horses and walk them”.

With her move to Queensland, Audrey accepts she’ll see less of her family in New Caledonia, noting, “I try to get home once a year to see my family, but I’m a hard worker, so I’ll only go home every two or three years now, as I’ll really try hard to get the rides and get known and get winners”.

A natural lightweight, Audrey who can claim three kilograms at the provincials and two kilograms in the country is contactable for rides on 0450 876 340.

Today on www.brisbaneracing.com.au there is the second montage of photos from Beaudesert and Eagle Farm last Saturday. On www.sydneyracing.com.au the Keeper of the Stud Book, Michael Ford, writes on the Indian Derby and he and his wife are photographed on the big day, whilst on www.melbourneracing.com.au Ipswich Cup winner Anagold is apparently now with Mick Price in Melbourne and if that’s the case my thoughts are certainly with Mick at this difficult time.

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