Reliance on interstate jockeys continues in the NT

[Wandering Eyes]

NSW jockey Paul Payne is yet another interstate who is set to make his debut in the NT when he appears at the Alice Springs meeting on Saturday.

It’s no secret that there has been a jockey shortage in the Northern Territory.

There have been 10 meetings in the NT since the Darwin Cup on August 5, with nine interstate riders appearing at either Darwin or Alice Springs.

They include Victoria’s Hannah Le Blanc, Matthew Chadwick, Makisha Salter, SA’s Georgie Catania, Caitlin Tootell and Monika Wolanin, Queensland’s Carl Spry – a former Darwin rider – and Isabella Teh, and WA’s Kyra Yuill.

NSW pair Paul Payne and Jeff Kehoe will make their Alice Springs debut on Saturday.

It’s not a desperate situation in the NT, however there were a host of scratchings at a Darwin and Alice Springs meeting in late September due to a lack of jockeys.

Since Darwin Cup Day, a number of regular NT riders have been conspicuous by their absence.

Paul Shiers (bicep), Wayne Davis (back) and Phil Crich (illness) are sidelined, while Casey Hunter is back riding in her home state of WA and apprentice Jade Hampson is currently on-loan based on the Gold Coast.

Fellow apprentice Emma Lines, third in the 2022/23 Top End and Country jockeys’ premiership before finishing second last season, is on an enforced sabbatical and Victorian jockey Mark Pegus has departed.

Adam Nicholls is back riding after shaking a wrist injury, while Stan Tsaikos, Ianish Luximon and Dakota Gillett have returned from suspension.

Jarrod Todd, Vanessa Arnott, Sonja Logan, Aaron Sweeney, Nicholls and Tsaikos are based in Darwin.

Alice Springs accommodates Paul Denton, Jessie Philpot, Dan Morgan, Lek Maloney, Luximon and Gillett.

“We’ve been a little bit light on for various reasons, so it’s good to have those interstate riders,” Thoroughbred Racing NT chief executive officer Andrew O’Toole said.

“Stan, Ianish and Dakota are back and that has improved numbers.

“Jade and Emma last rode in Darwin on Cup Day, I’m not sure of Emma’s plans at this stage.

“It’s unlikely Casey is coming back anytime soon to the Top End.

“Paul (Shiers) is back riding work which is good news, and I believe that Wayne needed another MRI on his back to just double check that he was right to go.

“Wayne hasn’t been able to resume work, but hopefully that will change by the end of October or early November.

“Phil has had quite an ordeal and he won’t be back anytime soon, if at all.”

Raymond Vigar, who has won the Darwin Cup, Palmerston Sprint and Alice Springs Cup, has not ridden since New Year’s Day in 2021, but is on the comeback trail.

“He’s got a trackwork rider’s licence and has got a bit of weight to lose to be considered for a jockey’s licence, but he is riding a lot of work for trainer Tayarn Halter here in Darwin,” O’Toole said.

“Raymond is a good young quality rider, but he ran into a few hurdles along the way and it’s good to have him back.”

Meanwhile, Le Blanc currently shares the lead in the Alice Springs and Provincial premiership with Logan and Tsaikos with four wins.

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