Resurgent rider Danny Beasley is making an application to Racing NSW for a jockey-trainer licence in the new season.
Beasley, who will be celebrating his 48th birthday with seven rides at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday, has revealed his ambition to eventually become a trainer.
“I’ve always said I will keep riding until the phone stops ringing,” Beasley said.
“But I’m well aware you can’t keep riding forever and I don’t want to go past my use-by date, either.
“I would rather transition to something on my terms rather than have the industry tap me on the shoulder to say you shouldn’t be riding anymore.
“I would really love to have a go at training one day so I’m going to apply for a dual licence next season. This is a luxury we never had before in NSW racing.”
Michael Travers and Peter Graham are the only holders of a jockey-trainer licence in NSW but it is more prevalent interstate, particularly in Victoria, where the likes of Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Michelle Payne has a dual licence.
Beasley said if his application for a jockey-trainer licence is approved, he hopes to start off training “one or two horses to see how it goes” from August.
“But my riding is the main focus for now, I’m enjoying it so much and having a bit of luck, too,” he said.
Beasley has been in brilliant form since returning home to Wagga Wagga in January.
He’s ridden 28 winners including the Listed National Sprint on Another One at Canberra.
At an age when some jockeys are considering retirement, Beasley is riding as well as ever.
Beasley, a former leading Sydney jockey who won the 2003 Golden Slipper on Polar Success, rode Grand Armee to many of his big-race wins including the 2003 Doncaster Handicap and 2004-05 Queen Elizabeth Stakes, moved to Singapore where he rode with success for many years until retiring in 2017.
But four years later, Beasley made a riding comeback in Singapore before deciding to return home to Wagga Wagga in January this year.
Danny Beasley had great success in Singapore. Picture: Mark Evans
“I didn’t set myself any goals, I was happy to ride around Wagga and Albury,” Beasley said.
“But the support I have got has been overwhelming really.
“After I had that break then decided to get back into riding again, I’ve just had a different perspective. I look at it in a different way, I don’t put as much pressure on myself and I just go out and enjoy my riding and treat each race for what it is.
“This is a beautiful part of the world, I grew up here and it is nice to come back home and spend the latter part of my riding career here. It’s been terrific and I’m really enjoying my riding again.”
At Rosehill on Saturday, Another One, trained by Gary Colvin, is Beasley’s best ride, according to the TAB price assessors.
Another One is pressing for favouritism at $7.50 in a very open Racing And Sports Handicap (1800m) where Tony Be is at the top of betting at $5.50.
Beasley believes the “stars have aligned” for Another One who has had a month between runs since his close fourth to Wicklow in the Wagga Wagga Gold Cup.
Another One meets Wicklow on 2kg better weight terms for their return clash at Rosehill.
“I think Another One will run terrific,” Beasley said.
“He’s drawn a good gate and I think he is well suited at the handicaps getting weight off Wicklow and a couple of others.
“The horse is going really well, he looks terrific and I feel 1800m is more his go. It seems like the stars have aligned for this race.”
Beasley also rides Another One’s stablemate Kappy’s Angel ($34) in the TAB Highway (1100m).
Another One (white cap) will be the best ride for Danny Beasley (inset) at Rosehill on Saturday. Picture: Getty Images
Kappy’s Angel comes to Rosehill after finishing only eighth behind In De Summertime in the Queen of the South (1400m) during the Wagga Cup Carnival but Beasley said there was merit in the mare’s run.
“She went into that race first-up with a big weight and she drew an outside gate,” Beasley said.
“It was all a bit too much but she still ran well.
“I rode her in a fair bit of her trackwork and she is a mare I have always thought was capable of winning a Highway.
“She has drawn a good gate on Saturday and the 1100m is more suitable. She can sit off them a little bit and she has a good turn of foot.
“I’ve heard a lot about Maximum Vortex ($4.20) and I understand he is pretty good but my mare will run well.”
Beasley links with the Matthew Smith stable for three rides including Credit Crunch ($51) in the Listed $160,000 Winter Cup (2400m), a race the jockey won on Verb for the late Jack Denham in 2005.
“We see week in, week out these races are won by a different horse,” Beasley said.
“Credit Crunch ran a good race at the Gosford stand-alone meeting (third to Hometruths) two starts back and if she runs up to that effort she will be competitive.”
The Smith-trained import Royal Robbins ($16) makes his Australian debut in the Schweppes Handicap (1500m).
Royal Robbins, who won four of his 11 starts in France and ran well at Listed level, has been burdened with 62kg but he has improved steadily at the barrier trials in recent weeks.
“This is a nice race for Royal Robbins to kick off in,” Beasley said.
“The imported horses often run really well in these benchmark races because they are just a bit better than them.”
Beasley also rides another Smith stable runner, Festival Dancer ($51) in the Kia Ora Farnan Handicap (1200m).
Beasley’s other Rosehill rides are Vain Invader ($26) in the Midway Handicap (1400m) and Winning Point ($19) in the Furphy Handicap (1800m).