After recording her 1,000th win in the saddle in September, veteran jockey Kylie Williams had just one final goal she wanted to achieve before hanging up her riding boots – ride against her son, Logan Bates.
That dream will become a reality at her local track of Riccarton Park on Saturday, with Australian-based Bates returning home to ride during New Zealand Cup Week in Christchurch.
The 24-year-old hoop landed back in New Zealand on Friday afternoon and he is looking forward to competing against his Mum.
“The main reason (to come back to New Zealand) was to ride against mum,” Bates said. “The timing worked perfectly being the first day of Cup Week.
“I am very proud of her. To have three kids and to span a career of over 28 years and to ride 1000 winners is an enormous effort.”
While Bates was always intrigued about following is mother into a career as a jockey, pursuing that vocation wasn’t always on the cards.
“It was in the back of my mind growing up,” he said. “I wasn’t great in school, so I left early when I was about 14. It gave me the time and the ability to try different things.
“I did carpentry for a bit and figured I was too small for that. I worked with greyhounds and Craig Roberts for a few years and got some good knowledge and that helped ease me into racing.
“I went over to Australia and worked in the stables with Cindy (Alderson, trainer) but came back and drove trotters for Paul and Graham Court (in Canterbury). I learned a lot of hands-on skills with the horses working for them, it gave me a good grounding.”
It was while working for the Courts that the opportunity arose to return to Australia and commence a jockey apprenticeship with Alderson, and Bates took it with both hands.
“When the opportunity arose that I could become and apprentice in Melbourne it was pretty silly not to give it a crack,” he said.
“I fell in love with it and I am very lucky to have the people I do around me. The likes of Mum and Dad, the Alderson family, the jockey coaches at Racing Victoria of Darren Gauci and Alf Matthews, and also the jockey ranks in Melbourne and some of the people you can be around.
“I rode at Flemington yesterday (Thursday) and you had the likes of Joao Moreira, James McDonald, Tommy Berry, Mark Zahra, Damian Lane and all those boys around you. You can pick a few things off them that helps in the steps going forward in your own career.”
Bates was delighted to get the opportunity to ride on Oaks Day at Flemington, where he partnered Statuario to a runner-up result in the popular greys only race, the Subzero Handicap (1400m), behind Geatafix and fellow expat Kiwi jockey James McDonald.
“It is a special race the greys race,” Bates said. “I was fortunate enough to have quite a nice ride for David and Emma-Lee Browne. They gave him a little freshen-up and it was good to see him hit back into a bit of form. He hit the line well carrying a big weight. It took a pretty sensational ride from James McDonald to beat me. It was a good day to be a part of.”
Bates has had a stellar spring in Melbourne, highlighted by his Yarra Valley-The Valley double last month where he rode Empire Song in the opening race at the former venue before hopping in his car to drive to The Valley an hour and a half away to ride Jigsaw to victory in the Gr.2 McEwen Stakes (1200m) for his employer on Cox Plate Day.
“I have been pretty lucky right through the spring carnival with some of the days I have ridden at,” Bates said. “I rode a winner early in the season on a Group One day at Caulfield and then was able to burn down the road and get to Moonee Valley from Yarra Valley on the last Cox Plate Day and ride a winner, which was pretty special.
“It would be a rare move to even think to ride at Yarra Valley and then drive to Moonee Valley on Cox Plate Day and try to get there for a Group Two. I was fortunate enough to win both of them, which was pretty cool.
“To be a part of that last day at Moonee Valley and to knock off my first Group Two for my boss Cindy on that horse that I have had a bit to do with, was great.
“You know you have done something pretty well when you have got Luke Nolen coming up next to you and giving you a pat on the back after your first Group Two win, so it was a special day.”
Bates has continued to build on a breakthrough season last term where he won 59 races in the country and was subsequently crowned Country Racing Victoria Apprentice Jockey of the Year.
“I was able to pick that up, which was cool,” he said. “I rode 59 winners in the country and altogether in the state I got 79. I was also able to take out the Rising Star Award, which is voted by all the other jockeys. It was another special moment to be well-respected by my peers so early in my career. It was very humbling.”
Fresh off competing in the Melbourne Cup Carnival, Bates is excited to have his first rides in his homeland during his hometown’s biggest week in racing.
“It is a great week and the first time I am going to be a part of it, albeit just the first day because I have got to get back to duties back in Melbourne,” he said.
“To come over early in my career and have 10 rides on the first day of New Zealand Cup Week is pretty cool.”
Four of those rides are for local trainer Lyn Prendergast, and he is particularly upbeat about the chances of Enterprise in the One Good Horse At Avonhead Tavern Premier (1100m) and Giannis in the Scenic Hotel Group Premier (1200m).
“I am lucky enough to pick up a couple off mum from Lyn Prendergast, which was nice of her,” he said.
“I do like Enterprise. He has been running around in that sort of grade. He draws a tricky gate (7), there looks to be a bit of speed in the race. He is in good form and gets a kilo off in the weights. If we can get a soft run in transit, he will be right in the finish.
“Giannis finished well (for second) with Mum on last start. He strikes a similar sort of field and I think he will be there in the finish.”
Bates will also compete in all four stakes races on the card where he will ride Slipper Island in the Listed Donaldson Brown Pegasus Stakes (1000m), The Entertainer in the Gr.3 Windsor Park Stud Canterbury Breeders’ Stakes (1400m), Just Charlie in the Listed Nautical Boat Insurance Metropolitan Trophy (2600m), and Bona Sforza in the Gr.1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m).
“I am very grateful to get the opportunity to ride for Tony Pike in the Pegasus Stakes with a pretty smart horse (Slipper Island),” Bates said. “He looks to have come back alright, gets a soft draw (5) and will get a soft run, and hopefully he runs well.
“I will ride The Entertainer for Anna Furlong in the Breeders’. She has been a model of consistency this prep. She has drawn a soft gate (2) and if we can look for a couple of splits up the straight, we should hopefully be alright.
“The main one that I am looking forward to is one for Kevin Myers – Just Charlie. He looks a nice stayer, he is a big horse, he carries 55.5kg and it looks like he is proven at the trip. He looks a nice ride in what looks a nice race for him. I see he holds a nomination for the New Zealand Cup (Gr.3, 3200m), which he ran fourth in last year, so I am pretty excited to ride him and hopefully he can run up to his best.
“I am very grateful to pick-up a ride on Bona Sforza in the Group One for Samantha Finnegan. She won her first start quite impressively and ran well second-up. She just got caught deep and didn’t have much luck last start.
“She does look a little keen, but from the five (draw) we should be able to lob into a nice midfield position with a bit of cover. It looks a strong race, and the favourite looks pretty hard to beat, but if we can get that horse to switch off and relax for the first part of the race, I think we will see her true colours. She does possess quite a nice finish, but we just need things to fall into place.”