Episode 486: Molly Bourke

It’s just over three years since Molly Bourke won her first race on Mouse Almighty at Wagga. Another 131 wins have followed, complimented by an SDRA Apprentices Premiership. Molly’s talents were clearly evident when she skilfully nursed $58.00 “pop” Secret Plan over the line at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday. She’s now with John Sargent at Randwick and rode 20 city winners last season. Great to catch up with the little girl from Tumbarumba who has to pinch herself to believe she’s competing successfully in one of the world’s toughest markets. Molly talks about her move to the big smoke just over a year ago. She looks back on her first taste of Sydney racing when she won on bush galloper Zakeriz at Canterbury late in 2022. Molly talks of her first win for new master John O’Shea at Wyong. She acknowledges a recent story about her career by Ray Hickson in the Racing NSW magazine. The apprentice looks back on the shock of her relocation to the bustling city of Sydney. Molly says it’s quite an experience to ride regularly against some of Australia’s best jockeys. She pays tribute to two Sydney female role models. The talented young rider takes us back to childhood days on the farm at Tumbarumba, and her early education on stock horses. She looks back on other riding pursuits. She says it was her next door neighbour who alerted her to the excitement of horse racing. Molly remembers her first experience of trackwork and an apprenticeship to local trainer George Dimitropoulos. School wasn’t Molly’s favourite place, but  she did well in one particular subject. Sport was a different matter. She showed plenty of ability in several endeavours. Molly vividly recalls her unimpressive race riding debut at Leeton on Mouse Almighty, and the magic of her first win at Wagga on the same little mare. She looks back on her transfer to a much busier environment at Canberra with trainer Doug Gorrel. Molly talks of the great support she received from another well known Canberra trainer, and the thrill of winning the SDRA junior title. The young jockey takes us through the freakish accident in which she was involved on the way to Albury races with Doug Gorrel. Molly has no doubt the fact that she was asleep in the passenger seat, may have saved her life. She talks about Doug’s serious injury and the sad loss of a promising filly in the accident. Molly gives high praise to a select group of southern districts jockeys who helped her along the way. She makes special mention of valuable tutelage given by former jockey Darryn Murphy of the Skillinvest Employment and Training Company. Molly acknowledges the support of her master John Sargent, and the well known training talents of the expat Kiwi horseman. She was gobsmacked when given the opportunity to ride in this year’s Doncaster. She talks of a few special horses to help her along the way since moving to Randwick. The Tumbarumba product says she’s had to deal with one particular problem in her race riding technique. Molly says she enjoys sneaking back to her old stamping ground from time to time. Her mother Jacqie lives at Bega nowadays.  The 21 year old speaks of the downside of living in Sydney with her partner Ed Waters still in Wagga. He expects to join her at the completion of his electrical trades apprenticeship. Molly isn’t a movie buff but there’s one she’s seen many times over. Not surprisingly it’s about a horse. The apprentice expresses her gratitude for having no weight problems. It’s a nice yarn with a most amiable young lady from a tiny town near the Snowy Mountains. Is it any wonder this girl can ride!