Edgley had just rode her first career ride as an apprentice jockey. And in what can only be considered something of a serendipitous scenario, the Benalla jockey’s first race happened to come at her home-track.
And on a Benalla-trained horse to boot.
Speaking post-race, Edgley said her maiden ride had been “absolutely amazing”.
“I’m actually still pinching myself because I can’t believe that this moment has finally come,” she said.
“The build up is real, it’s very nerve-racking; but as soon as you get on the horse, you kind of go into the zone.
“It’s what you love to do.”
Steering the Russell Osborne-trained Sly Samba Deer in the $25,000 BM58 Handicap over 1106m, Edgley and SSD raced keenly into third though could not hold it to the line as they faded to sixth.
Nevertheless it was certainly a fast and furious start to Edgley’s life as a working jockey.
“I was instructed to go forward and ride him like it was a finish for the first 100m, so I urged him up a bit at the start,” she said.
“It was very fast. I definitely can’t wait to get back on a another horse now.”
Though Edgley didn’t have to wait long for her chance, picking up a series of rides at Donald and Echuca just days later.
Riding the Ben Brisbourne-trained Orazio at Donald on Sunday, Edgley and the five-year-old gelding finished nine from 14 in the $25,000 0-58 Handicap over 1000m.
Then it was over to Echuca for Monday afternoon racing, where Edgley got her best result of the lot, coming second only to bookies favourite Real Gun on the Dan McCarthy-trained Northernero.
Backing up for the final race of a mammoth 10-race card, Edgley jumped aboard another Ben Brisbourne-trained horse in Atomic Selfie, with the pair crossing the line fourth in the BM58 Hcp over 1412m, two lengths off the winner.
The 20-year-old was announced as one of six new participants in the prestigious Victorian Apprentice Jockey Training Program at the beginning of 2021.
Edgley is in her first year of the four-year program, which sees her receive hands-on training in the art of race riding under industry professional Darren Gauci and Alf Matthews.
12°C