Canterbury jockey Kylie Williams ticked off a major goal over the weekend and she is hoping to achieve one more before retirement.
The 45-year-old hoop brought up her 1,000th victory in the saddle when piloting home Riviera Rebel to win the North Canterbury Cup (2000m) in front of family and friends at her home track of Riccarton on Saturday.
Riviera Rebel was a $6 winner with Neds Australia in what was a wide-open race punctuated by a horror fall which saw four jockeys lose their seats.
“It’s good to finally get there, it has been a while,” she said. “The family were there, so that was even better.”
A career in the saddle was never in Williams’ mind as a child, and if it wasn’t for the bold nature of a friend, she may never have pursued life as a jockey.
“I never really had a lot to do with horses,” Williams said.
“I wanted to leave school and Dad wouldn’t let me unless I had a job. There was an advertisement in The Press that said ‘are you over 16, under 50kg and want to become an apprentice jockey?’ I was too scared, so my friend rang up and applied for me.”
Williams is forever grateful for that nudge, which landed her in a career which has spanned nearly 30 years.
“I spent three months in Otaki on a course and was assigned to Tania Forde in Dunsandel and I have been doing it ever since,” she said.
Williams commenced her riding career in the 1996/97 season, and even with the birth of her three children, she hasn’t missed a season.
She has posted 32 Group or Listed victories, and while they were special, Williams said winning some maiden races have meant just as much.
“They are all pretty special,” she said.
“The one where I won a maiden at Riverton on Pure Zambezi for very good friends of mine was great. To even get the horse to the races, let alone to win a race, was special.”
Having now reached her goal of 1000 wins in the saddle, retirement has crept into Williams’ mind, but there is one more thing she would like to do before she hangs up her riding boots, ride against her son, Logan Bates.
The 23-year-old looks to have inherited his mother’s talent in the saddle, having recorded 108 wins in Australia, including 59 last season, which led to him being crowned Country Racing Victoria Apprentice Jockey of the Year.
“I never encouraged him to become a jockey or be involved in horses,” Williams said. “He did the greyhounds and then the trots, and then decided to try being an apprentice jockey. He is outdoing his mum at the moment.
“It will be cool to ride against him and hopefully he will get back here for Cup Week if all goes well.”
All going to plan, Williams said she will be happy to retire shortly after and start to enjoy life outside of racing and spend more time with her children.
“I am thinking maybe Christmas time,” she said. “I have had to sacrifice a lot with the kids through the races and now I want to be able to go to Australia and watch Logan or go to watch my daughter, Rhiarn, do gymnastics. And my son Rico has just turned 18, he has nothing to do with horses, and he wants to be a tradie.”
While Williams is in good health and could continue to ride, she said she would like to retire on her terms.
“I don’t want to be out there when I shouldn’t be out there,” she said. “I want to retire when I have decided and not when people say I shouldn’t be out there riding.”
A natural lightweight, Williams has never missed out on enjoying a family Christmas dinner, but she said she is looking forward to attending some of the summer racedays at some of her favourite tracks.
“I have always been okay with my weight, so I have never missed out on food or anything like that,” she said. “I would like to go to some of the race meetings that I enjoy riding at, like Kumara and Cromwell, but be on the other side.”