Leading rider keen to mentor youngsters

ALREADY at the top of his game in NQ riding ranks, Wanderson D’Avila wants to use his decades of knowledge and expertise to mentor the next generation of jockeys.

D’Avila, who is in the top 10 for winners across Queensland this season, has called on Racing Queensland to invest in a jockey coach in the north for apprentice riders.

And, he has put his hand up to take on the role, potentially sharing the job with a retired local hoop.

The riding skills of local apprentices have been a hot talking point of late with a number of long suspensions handed out, as well as a couple of falls.

D’Avila, above, thinks a NQ-based riding coach, who would watch replays with the apprentices, help them practise on a mechanical horse and generally teach lessons in being a jockey, would improve the standard and safety of racing.

“I always like to help young kids. It is something I have done when I was overseas, and I have spoken to a couple of the young local jockeys up here,” he said.

“I have a mechanical horse up at my house. I will try and organise them to come up and use it, show them a few tricks, to try and improve their riding skills.

“I reckon we have got a few good young riders up here, they just need someone to listen and teach them, making sure they listen to instructions.

“Sometimes people just need a little help and there is no-one up here to help the apprentices. When I started racing, I was at the racing school for two years before I ever had a ride.”

The 44-year-old D’Avila, who has been riding for three decades, thinks the potential jockey coaches could meet twice a week with young apprentices, which could include Emily Cass, Rachel Shred, Scott Gittos, Krysten Swaffer and potentially Marnu Potgieter, who is Mackay-based.

The jockey coach could also work with experienced riders who struggle to get race rides.

D’Avila, who is passionate about helping others, thinks there is little guidance for emerging riders in the north being so far away from RQ headquarters in Brisbane.

Former top Queensland rider Lacey Morrison previously was a NQ-based apprentice jockey advocate and mentor, but has not been in the role for some time now.

D’Avila has ridden 66.5 winners this season, placing him 10th overall in the state, and is in the top six on the provincial and country circuits.