Female riders part of the furniture nowadays in NZ

Remarkably, New Zealand and Australia, the Western world’s two countries that did not allow women jockeys 40 years ago, now have more than other countries.

In New Zealand, 43 per cent of licences are issued to women riders and Australia’s numbers are increasing.

Sam Collett, Alysha Collett, Danielle Johnson and Rosie Myers hold four of the top six spots in the New Zealand premiership.

The UK, by comparison, have 11 per cent female jockeys, but they gain just 1.1 per cent of rides at the top level.

Sam Collett is assured of the premiership victory following on from double winner Lisa Allpress. Sam says she did not set out to win this title, but she was adamant of one thing — she set herself to stay out of the stipendiary stewards’ inquiry room.

“I can’t recall how many suspensions I copped last season but I was determined to lessen the number.” She did. She hasn’t been suspended in 12 months.

“I decided to really concentrate on what I was doing.”

New Zealand’s female jockeys are famous worldwide. Lisa Cropp rode successfully in Asia and became the first foreign jockey of either sex to be licensed to ride on contract in the hugely protected Japanese racing scene.

Kim Clapperton twice won the Singapore-Malaysian premiership when the two countries had one racing circuit. Cropp won three straight premierships, clocking an astonishing record 194 wins in 2005.

“Growing up,” says Sam Collett, “I always remember mum [Trudy Thornton] telling us you can succeed as a female jockey provided you’re prepared to work hard.”

Sam and cousin Alysha Collett are among the hardest workers on racecourses. Their work ethic is astonishing. Alysha is, in a matter of weeks, booming through the ranks of Singapore jockeys.

America’s Julie Krone, the best the US produced, fought a tough scrap for women. After winning a race at Hollywood Park one day she lined up for the presentation and said to the chairman: “Just a moment.”

Krone had been lashed across the face by a rival’s whip in the close finish.

She dashed into the male jockeys’ room, beat the crap out of the offending jockey and returned to the chairman’s side with: “I’m ready now.”