He may have won six of his last seven starts in Dubbo, but tomorrow the locally owned King Rex will be ridden by first-year apprentice Gillian Pick who is yet to enjoy the sweet taste of success despite having had more than 50 rides in races.
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While it appears the pressure could be on for the 23-year-old, she said she’s more excited than anything about her first ride in Dubbo and she felt confident both she and King Rex could perform well tomorrow.
Pick is indentured to the Stephen Hood stables in Rosehill and in her time there she has had much to do with King Rex - owned by Peter and Patsy Carolan, and Polly and Gary Kimmorley.
“He is definitely the cranky horse of the stables,” Pick said.
“He has got a lot of character and he’s a very excitable horse.”
Pick said she was very confident King Rex would do well in tomorrow’s race, adding he is a good horse with a lot of ability.
She said the training and direction given to her by Hood had helped her achieve many placings in her time as a jockey and believes it will serve her well out on the track tomorrow.
“It will be my first race in Dubbo, although I have done track work out there once when I was preparing for a race in Narromine,” Pick said.
“King Rex is a great horse and I know he has the ability to take it out, I am feeling very confident.”
Pick was born and raised in Maroubra, in a house that backed onto the Malabai Riding School.
She said her love for horses was fostered by her father’s keen interest in the industry, despite the fact that he had extreme allergies to horses.
Pick said initially she was interested in joining the mounted police force, but later followed the interests of her father and began work with Hood in October 2006.
Despite battling through what has been one of the industry’s most crippling years due to equine influenza, Pick said her love for the industry hadn’t changed and she continues to hold onto high hopes and ambitions for herself in the future.
“I have very high ambitions, but I like to keep them to myself,” Pick said.
“I really just want to help raise the female aspect of racing and work hard to match it with the guys.”
King Rex has drawn barrier eight in the $2500 XXXX Gold Vase Open Handicap (1100m) tomorrow, which will be his 62nd start. To date King Rex has won 14 races and with 16 placings has banked more than $487,000 in prize money.
In the early market, King Rex is the $2.80 favourite, in front of $3.20 That’s Gold, Murray’s Sun; $6.00 Boomerang; $7.50 Nampara Bullet; $15.00 Silver Street; $21.00 Argung King, Duke Bonga Longa, Cathy’s Boy; $26.00 Nobragnow, Zoo City Lad.
