Advancing at gallop

Hoop Gittos on track with career and family goals

CAIRNS apprentice jockey Scott Gittos has experienced a career-best month, on and off the track.

After finally getting the tick of approval to ride in races by Racing Queensland earlier this month, Gittos has been in the saddle at two different tracks as well as welcoming a new son into the world.

Baby Connor arrived on Wednesday morning for the 30-year-old apprentice hoop before he made the long trip to Hughenden Jockey Club on Saturday to complete his four engagements.

At just his second meeting as a fully fledged hoop, Gittos went close to breaking through with his first winner, settling for three thirds from four rides.

“It has been a good month,” Gittos said with a smile on the drive back from Hughenden yesterday afternoon.

“I finally got my jockey’s licence, got a couple of rides and now the arrival of the young fella — it is great.

“I said to a few people that it would have been nice to cap it off with a winner but there is always next week to get that.”

The Victorian, who works for the Cannon Park-based Rodney Miller stable, took four rides for Julia Creek trainer Tanya Parry, going closest to breaking through for his first winner on board Wicked Wiki in the $7000 Class 6 Plate (1000m).

“I was a little bit nervous in my first meeting at Gordonvale the other day but I got those jitters out of my system,” Gittos said.

“It has been a great experience going out to Hughenden, seeing a different track, jockeys and the conditions.”

Meanwhile, Tablelands hoop Wanderson D’Avila collected the 2018 edition of the $20,000 Burdekin Cup at Home Hill on Saturday.

Riding Captains Way for leading Mackay trainer John Manzelmann, D’Avila lifted the $8 outsider in the final few strides of the 1830m event to edge out race favourite Lokum, for trainer Andrew Cameron, on the line. D’Avila rode two winners across the seven-race card. Racing in North Queensland turns to Rockhampton on Tuesday before Cluden Park hosts a meeting on Thursday.