PREMIER Southern District Racing Association (SDRA) jockey Blaike McDougall will look to take advantage of the opportunities that arise in the current climate.
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McDougall made the five and a half hour trek to Hawkesbury on Saturday, where he enjoyed a winning double after having success for Godolphin and the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott team.
It was McDougall's first winner for Waterhouse, and just his second for Godolphin after riding one winner for the racing giant as an apprentice.
Having dominated the country circuit for the past 18 months, McDougall was in high demand at the provincial meeting with city jockeys unable to ride there due to the current zones in place with COVID-19.
McDougall hopes to build a bigger association with those stables during this time.
"Yeah definitely, especially on the provincial scene on the weekend. There's probably no reason I couldn't ride there now, other than it being so far away," McDougall said.
"As long as this goes on and I can continue to get these rides, as long as I can continue to keep getting the winners then the rides will keep following."
McDougall has already ridden 113 winners this season, surpassing his effort of 107 for last season.
He built on that tally with a winner for John Thompson at Kembla Grange on Tuesday.
McDougall said he got a thrill out of riding winners for James Cummings and Waterhouse stables.
"It was a good feel," he said.
"The positives and the negatives with the isolation and the virus, that's the positive for me, to be able to go up there and get them rides and ride them winners.
"The negative was I wasn't able to ride Bennelong Dancer in the final at Randwick."
With no city jockeys set to compete at the Wagga Gold Cup carnival, McDougall will be in high demand. He is yet to be booked for a Cup ride.
It was a good weekend for his household, with partner Danielle Scott riding her first winning double at Albury.
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THREE-time Southern District premiership-winning jockey John Kissick has a date earmarked for his return to race riding.
Kissick will today officially submit his application for a jockey's licence, some three and a half years after a steer-riding accident brought his career to a sudden halt.
Kissick has completed 24 trial rides over the past three months and is now ready to return to riding.
"I'll submit my licence (on Thursday) and then wait to hear back from Racing NSW," Kissick said.
"If I pass, my 14 days will be up on the 20th (April) and I hope to ride at Canberra on the 24th."
Kissick returned to NSW this week from his Wangaratta base to ensure he will be right to ride in the southern part of the region.
He is not allowed to go to the races for 14 days, but is continuing to work for Albury trainer Mitch Beer.
Kissick hopes everything can come together over the fortnight so he can get the green light to make his comeback at Canberra.
It has been a long road back from the accident, where he fractured his spine.
"How many times have I thought I'm going to get back now and then hit another roundabout in the road," Kissick said.
"I'm hoping it will be the 24th at Canberra."
Kissick said there has been no issues with his back since returning to the trials.
"It's been as good as gold. The back has come good and I haven't had any issues really," he said.
"I've got to get a bit of weight off but that should be fine."
Kissick plans to make a return at 57 kilograms. He is already down to 58.5.
With Blaike McDougall dominating the region at the moment, Kissick is looking forward to the challenge of reestablishing himself in the jockey ranks.
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ALBURY trainer Mitch Beer has set his sights on group three glory with Kiwi import Hanger.
The five-year-old snuck into the field for the $128,000 Elvis Thurgood 40th Anniversary Cup (1400m) at Caulfield this Saturday.
Teo Nugent will take the ride from six. Hanger has impressed since coming to Australia with an Echuca Cup win, followed by a close second at Rosehill two Saturdays ago.
Meantime, Beer has sent Sky Call for a spell after her ninth placing in the Country Championships Final at Randwick last Saturday.
Sky Call was only beaten two lengths, with jockey Glen Boss reporting the mare never really handled the heavy going.
Fellow Albury mare Bennelong Dancer finished 13th in her third and final crack at the series.
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WAGGA jockey Nick Heywood enjoyed his first success since his return at Gundagai on Sunday.
Heywood enjoyed his first winner in nine months when he steered Biscara to her first victory for the Matthew Dale stable at the Gundagai Cup meeting last Sunday.
The talented young jockey, who won the 2017-18 Southern District jockey's premiership, was out for close to nine months due to suspension and injury.
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JOCKEY Richard Bensley copped a $400 fine at Gundagai on Sunday.
Stewards found that Bensley failed to ride Scalded right out to the finishing line in the Margaret Keenan Memorial 3YO Maiden Handicap (1000m).
Scalded finished fourth but stewards found while they could not be comfortably satisfied Bensley's inaction had affected his mount obtaining a higher placing, they believed it jeopardised the filly's chances of doing so.
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FULL credit to the Albury Racing Club for it's ability to live stream Saturday's non-TAB race meeting.
With owners and punters not allowed on track, Albury had the races filmed and streamed onto the club's Facebook page.
The decision was a success, with hundreds tuning it to watch the races on Saturday.
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TUMUT jockey Megan Creed (nee Taylor) is now a mum.
Megan and her partner Rhys welcomed a baby boy Noah into the world last week.
Creed was the first woman to win the Southern District jockey's premiership back in 2016-17.
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WITH no racing in the SDRA for the next week, a couple of stables have nominated horses for the showcase meeting at Moruya on Sunday.
David Blundell, Mitch Beer, Chris Heywood and Kym Davison all have horses among the nominations for the Moruya Cup meeting.
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WHAT'S ON
TROTS
Sunday: Wagga (TAB)
DOGS
Sunday: Wagga (TAB)
