Angela Jones seeks to build on her already impressive provincial performances

Leading Queensland jockey Angela Jones has taken provincial race meetings by storm but says despite her top-string performances she is in ‘no rush’ to break into the metropolitan rankings.

Queensland’s leading provincial jockey Angela Jones says she is in ‘no rush’ to break into the metropolitan rankings after a stellar start to her race riding career at a number of South East Queensland race tracks.

Jones currently sits in first place ahead of Zac Lloyd and Jasmine Cornish on the provincial and apprentices standings and has continued to make a solid impression on industry pundits.

With plenty of hype now surrounding the 21-year-old, Jones said she still had more to learn before making the transition to metropolitan company.

“It’s there in the back of my mind as I’m looking at starting to ride some midweeks at the start of the new season but I don’t think I’m ready yet as I’ve still got a lot to learn and there will be even more to learn when I do go there as well,” she said.

“I am looking forward to it all but I’m in no rush to make something happen.”

Angela Jones has been in top form at a number of SEQ tracks this season. Picture: Steve Pohlner

Jones’s record of five wins, 10 placings and an impressive ROI percentage of 122.9 from 31 starts at the Sunshine Coast this season is similar to the performances at her home track, Toowoomba under leading trainer Lindsay Hatch.

The duo’s statistical combination speaks for itself this season with a strike rate of 28.6 and 60 per cent from 70 starts.

Jones first met Hatch after she finished school in Charters Towers and decided to make the move south to Toowoomba where she began riding trackwork for Hatch’s stable.

“I first got on to him and told him that I hadn't had any racing experience but had heaps of experience with horses in general and he was happy to take me in which I’m forever grateful for,” she said.

Jones was able to ride three winners from her first four rides on debut in October, 2020 and has continued to go from strength to strength over the past two seasons.

“I am proud but I credit a lot of my performances to Lindsay for having a good stable, a good foundation and keeping my feet on the ground,” she said.

Trainer Lindsay Hatch (left), Toowoomba Turf Club Chairman Kent Woodford, jockey Angela Jones and For My Annie from the Lindsay Hatch stable are celebrating 30 years of Clifford Park racecourse having lighting for night racing in 2022. Picture: Nev Madsen.

After recently representing Queensland in the National Apprentice Race Series in South Australia, Jones said she hoped to build on her impressive performances at the Sunshine Coast and remain on top of the provincial standings.

“I feel like I’ve learnt a lot when racing at the Sunny Coast because it varies so much to the other tracks like Toowoomba, Ipswich and the Gold Coast,” she said.

“It’s probably my favourite track to go to and another thing is that a lot of the Brisbane jockeys will ride there on a Sunday so you sort of get a chance to learn off them which is good.

“If I can stay on top of the standings now that would be nice too as I’ve been able to stay out of trouble these last few months and it looks like it’s not that far out of sight.”

Jones, who is no stranger to seeing female jockeys dominate race meetings, said she was proud of the efforts and opportunities that female trainers and jockeys were receiving in the industry.

“I don’t think I could take any credit for it but I think there has been a few women recently that are making such an influence that trainers are looking at them a bit more,” she said.

“I look at Jamie Kah who everyone knows and I think she has made such a big difference that trainers are now viewing female riders equally.”