Tassie Wednesday racing

Tasmania’s jockey ranks have received a boost with talented apprentice Chloe Wells returning to the state after a three-month riding stint in Queensland.

Wells rode a handful of winners from limited opportunities but said the experience was invaluable.

“I had the best time, it was a brilliant experience, I really enjoyed it, I felt like I learned a lot, and I’m a much better rider for it,” Wells said.

“You don’t really know how hard it is, it’s a little bit of a shock to begin with, they work really hard and it’s very cutthroat.

“If there was another opportunity to go back, I would jump at the chance, but my three months were up, and I wasn’t riding as much as I would like to up there. I only had about 40 rides, but I got to experience a lot of different tracks. I went to some country tracks that were definitely an experience and got the opportunity to ride in town at Eagle Farm and Doomben, and again, that's another level up.”

Wells said being a natural left hander she enjoyed the opportunity to ride in the clockwise direction. She returned home with a bang, landing a winning double at her first meeting back in Hobart on Melbourne Cup Day.

“I wasn’t expecting to ride at that meeting. Hobart, I generally don’t get many rides, but Scott (Brunton) and Stuart (Gandy) put me on, and I’m grateful to them.”

That double took her career total to 80, and she can no longer claim an apprentice allowance. Wells left for Queensland after an outstanding season in Tasmania; for much of the year, she was battling out the apprentice title with Jackson Radley and Lauryn Bingley.

Eventually, Wells finished second to Radley and an impressive fourth on the overall table with 43 winners. Following her impressive return to the state, Wells is in demand for the meeting in Launceston on Wednesday night with six rides, including on Devonport Cup hopeful Earendel, who resumes in the (1400m) class 4.

“He is a very nice horse, he’s a horse I’ve liked for quite a while, through his first prep and even his last prep, he was a very big baby, but he seems to have clicked on lately, and he trialled very nicely chasing Durazzo and last time he led them up and he was very good.

“I think he can win (first-up) given the right run, we’ve drawn a little bit sticky but he will roll forward and take luck out of the equation and with blinkers on I think he’s sharp enough to win over 1400m.”

Looking for a best bet, Earendel certainly appeals after a couple of impressive trials., and Ziggy Plays Guitar can hit the right note in the first of the night, He hasn’t been too far away at his two Tasmanian runs and should get a nice trip from a low barrier.

The first race is at 18:22, with the racing action, interviews, and winners on Tasracing Live and Sky Thoroughbred Central (races 4-8).

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