Episode 526: Mollie Fitzgerald

Brilliant apprentice Mollie Fitzgerald was shattered recently when a sudden bout of appendicitis interrupted her march towards a possible NSW jockey’s premiership win in just her second season of race riding. The twenty two year old daughter of former successful jockey Malcolm Fitzgerald, had ridden 123 winners in just twenty one months leading up to her recent setback. Only a handful of wins separated Mollie, Aaron Bullock and Jean Van Overmeire at the time of her diagnosis.  Her amazing win rate on northern rivers tracks attracted the attention of the Neasham/Alexander stable who invited her to join the team last October. After five weeks on the sidelines Mollie returned to trackwork duties on Thursday May 1st, and is champing at the bit to resume her premiership chase. She talks about her general malaise leading up to the discovery of appendicitis.  Mollie says she hasn’t given up on catching  Bullock and Van Overmeire but realises she now has a tough task. She talks of the fairy tale start to her riding career.  Mollie has only heard about her father’s riding days but is well aware of his talents and constant battle with weight. She’s grateful to have his guidance and wise counsel in the early stages of her career. The apprentice brings us up to date with the progress of her two siblings, sister Lacey and brother Cameron. Mollie talks of her early involvement with the Bellingen Pony Club. She looks back on a move to Camden Haven when her father was a jockey mentor for Racing NSW. Mollie remembers Malcolm’s switch of direction when Racing NSW developed a rehoming property on Oxley Island near Taree. While awaiting new ownership the former racehorses had to be exercised on a nearby beach. This was where young Fitzgerald was first bitten by the thoroughbred bug. She talks about her first job in a racing stable which she juggled with her schooling. Mollie looks back on a pleasing result in the Higher School Certificate. The young jockey says she put horses aside for a full year while gaining work experience in a local real estate business. Finally an apprenticeship opportunity came up with Taree trainer Tony Ball. Mollie jumped at the chance and the rest is history. She talks about the magical day at Bowraville when her first winner came along. Before the day was over, she’d won another race. Mollie says her dad became her regular chauffeur to many northern meetings. He was the perfect sounding board on the return journey to Taree. She’s adamant a couple of troublesome wisdom teeth prevented her winning fifty races in her first season. Mollie acknowledges the great support of Grafton trainer John Shelton who made her the regular rider of Cassia Lane. She won three straight on the genuine mare including the 2024 Inverell Cup. She won the feature sprint on the same day. She looks back on a special day at Inverell last year when she was one of five female jockeys to make a clean sweep of the programme. It was another all girls affair at Moree on Sept 1st last year. She was thrilled to win two races including the Moree Cup. Mollie talks about her day of days so far- four wins and a second from seven rides at an Armidale meeting. She relives the thrill of winning the Rising Stars Apprentices Series this season. Mollie talks about the offer from Anabel Neasham and the nice horses she’s already ridden for the stable. Highlight was a treble at Kembla in January. One of the winners has become her stable favourite. Great to catch up with an intelligent young lady who’s been the talk of racing in the last year or so. It was only a matter of time before she was approached by a Sydney stable. You won’t see her in town for a while yet, but she’s certain to be a favourite with provincial punters while her claim lasts.