It was little wonder that Talita Van Rooyen was walking on air in the Avondale jockeys’ room on Wednesday.
After spending nearly half her life trying to become a jockey, Van Rooyen was understandably a little light-headed after scoring her first raceday win.
South African racing officials refused to licence Van Rooyen (26) to ride on four occasions over a long period.
Women are not accepted into the South African Riding Academy, which trains all apprentices. But she was so dedicated to her dream that she made the decision a couple of years ago to leave the family farm to come to New Zealand in a search of raceday rides.
She phoned New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing, who told her to call Avondale trainer Davina Waddell.
After nine months of waiting for a work visa, Van Rooyen arrived in New Zealand one year and two weeks ago and at Avondale on Wednesday she won on her first raceday ride on Day Tripper in the third race on the programme.
”I desperately wanted to ride as a jockey,” she said.
She admits to getting homesick, but said her dedication to racing was so strong she would not buckle to it.
”I took the three weeks off a year I get and went home in March and that helped me a lot.”
Waddell provided Day Tripper for Van Rooyen’s debut ride and said she rated the mare’s chances a lot higher than her formline and the tote dividend.
”I knew she wanted Wednesday’s slightly better footing.”
Van Rooyen may have let Day Tripper wander a bit in the home straight, but it was going to take more than that to stifle her excitement. – Sapa-NZPA