Sport
26 March, 2025
Have saddle, will travel: jockey relishes Isa trip
Tessa Townsend's long drive was made worthwhile as she picked up a win in the pouring rain.
With rain bucketing down as she crossed the finish line, Tessa Townsend couldn’t help but smile as she justified her long drive to Mount Isa with a win in what was to be the final race of the day.
The torrential rain at Buchanan Park signalled the end of the race meet at Mount Isa – two races too early for many trainers, owners and jockeys.
“I thought my best chance of the day was actually in the last race,” Townsend said of her booking on Mr Metrics in the $10,000 Open Plate (1200m).
Instead, she won on the stablemate, the Shryn Royes-trained Marrew Fancy Nancy, owned by the Richmond trainer in partnership with Phil Kennedy.
“She jumped really well and put herself into the race and travelled nicely,” Townsend said of the maiden winner.
“Coming down the straight, she was a little bit green – looking at stuff (in the crowd) – but she went pretty good.”
Royes was thrilled with the win, which carried QTIS bonuses worth $5250, meaning Marrew Fancy Nancy picked up $12,050 for winning her first race.
“When I got her she’d only had one start and led them at Gympie (before finishing fifth),” the trainer said.
“She was a handful when she first came – very green – and was throwing away races as a result.”
Royes said she hoped her mare would be able to progress through the grades and step up in distance after breaking her maiden over 900m.
“She will probably get to 1200m and maybe further,” Royes said.
The Richmond trainer praised the ride and commitment of the jockey, who filled in for Amanda Thomson when the Townsville meeting was rescheduled from Thursday to Saturday.
“Getting jockeys is hard enough so when we lost Amanda through no fault of her own I had to convince (Tessa) to come,” Royes said.
Townsend said she was glad to make the trip, having spent most of the last four weeks in the car.
The Outback jockey spent most of the summer in Sydney, riding trackwork for the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable.
When racing resumed in the Central West and North West, the 32-year-old has been driving from the Harbour City back to the bush to ride on Saturdays.
This month she’s ridden at Charleville, Barcaldine, Mount Isa (twice) and Longreach.
North West Weekly spoke to Townsend when she stopped in Bourke, on her way to Randwick.
The eager hoop had ridden from Alpha to Mount Isa to ride on Saturday, then rushed back to Longreach on Sunday for a full book.
Townsend was back in Sydney on Monday night and was riding some of the best horses in the country at 5am on Tuesday.
“I am very lucky as I get to ride Group horses every single day and do gallops with the big-name jockeys like Regan Bayliss, Rachel King and Adam Hyeronimus,” she said.
“It has definitely been a huge benefit to me to ride alongside good quality riders on good quality horses. Just minor things about how you push a horse out or where you should have your strength in your body to be more balanced.
“I have been getting pointers from every single rider, which I think has benefited me a lot.
“The plan was to come down for the off-season and get as much experience as possible.
“I have definitely benefited from being down here.”