Episode 485: Wendy Peel

Pioneers like Pam O’Neill have taken great pride in watching the enormous progress made by female jockeys in recent years. Wendy Peel is Dubbo based these days but has had several addresses during her first seven years of race riding. The 31 year old is unwaveringly passionate about her chosen career path and travels huge mileage to honour commitments.  She’s already a role model to many of the younger girls coming through the system. Wendy joins us on the podcast to look at the female clean sweep of a recent Inverell meeting, and to look at the future role of women in the Australian riding ranks. She talks of the impact being made around the nation. Wendy believes the generational growth of male jockeys is the main reason for the ever increasing number of female riders. She predicts the likely future of the girls in Australian racing. Wendy says the majority of new apprentices have learned the fundamentals in pony club, eventing and show jumping. The dedicated jockey looks back on her very first involvement with thoroughbreds. She talks of a horse management college course which led her to two overseas adventures. Wendy looks back on an early job on a NZ stud farm. She was asked to ride some trackwork by a local trainer and the die was cast. She reflects on her boldness in asking Gai Waterhouse for a job as a trackwork rider at Randwick. Wendy remembers her first apprenticeship to Peter Robl who supplied her first race ride. The jockey looks back on her transfer to Sue Grills at Tamworth. She still can’t believe her first win was in a Cup race. It didn’t end there. Wendy remembers being one of five riders to crash in a race at Tamworth in 2019. Her injuries were nasty. She was leading the Rising Stars points score at the time. She talks of Cody Morgan’s kindness in giving her a great opportunity in the Gulgong Cup when she returned to the saddle. Next step was a loan out to Nyngan trainer Rodney Robb at the peak of a disastrous drought. She says some of her most memorable achievements materialised during her time with Robb. Wendy talks of her transfer to Paul Butterworth in Brisbane. It was Butterworth who supplied her first metropolitan winner. She talks of the broken hip sustained in a Deagon jump out, just 18 months after her Tamworth “buster”. The respected rider remembers a win in the Battle Of The Bush Final at Eagle Farm on Rather Salubrious. The opportunity was the result of great loyalty shown by trainer David Reynolds. Wendy talks of the enormous goal she set herself in August 2020. She rode at three race meetings in the space of eight or nine hours. Thankfully a Toowoomba winner made it all worthwhile. She rates Rather Salubrious the best horse she’s ridden but also has praise for Seat Of Power. Wendy speaks highly of jockeys Blake Shinn and Matthew Cahill. She talks of her daily chores at Dubbo which often include a helping hand for partner Duncan Edwards, a well known horse breaker. Female jockeys need to be dedicated to make their way in an unforgiving business. They don’t make them any more dedicated than Wendy Peel.