Birthday girl is riding high

BIRTHDAY girl Jodi Worley is hot property on the race track right now.

Jodi Worley - riding in 8 races on Monday's race meeting Photo Adam Hourigan / The Daily Examiner. Picture: Adam Hourigan

BIRTHDAY girl Jodi Worley is hot property on the race track right now.

Fresh from her maiden treble at Grafton last Sunday the first-year apprentice jockey has a full book of eight rides today.

Her busy day kicks off on the Peter Clark-trained Isis Cowboy in the Happy Chinese New Year Maiden Plate (1000m) and wraps up on Tara Hickory, the third of three rides for South Grafton trainer Hunter Kilner, in the Lucky 8 Benchmark 60 Handicap (1400m).

Turning 22 today, the Grafton lass hopes the schedule translates into a birthday to remember.

"It's going to be a flat out day," said Worley, who started racing in the saddle on August 17 last year.

"I've never had eight races before. Grafton last week was the first time I'd even had five races. It would be nice to ride some more winners.

"People are starting to take notice which is really good."

Worley's treble included two class records at her home track.

The first on four-year-old mare Miss Caitlyn ($10) for her master Paddy Cunningham with a time of 1:09.51 over the 1200m journey in the Benchmark 55.

The next was the last race on the card, the Benchmark 65 over 1700m on Dusty's Felt ($11) for Paul Grills in a slick 1:42.37. Another in Cunningham's work, Aimalac Burra ($9) got the ball rolling for Worley in the Class 2 sprint over 1000m.

"It was my first double before I got the treble," she said.

But it was well deserved, coming on the back of a rich vein of form.

Cunningham moved his operations to Glen Innes during the Clarence River Jockey Club's two-month hiatus for track renovations.

It was in the Northern Tablelands that Worley started to make her mark, saluting at Inverell on Boxing Day and New Year's Day. She picked up wins at four consecutive meetings.

"I'm getting a lot of good horses and a lot of ours are doing well as well," Worley said.

"Since going to Glen Innes they've been thriving. The change in climate has been good for them."

Aimalac Stud thorough-bred breeder Jim Lloyd was full of praise for the up-and-coming hoop.

"She has winners coming out her ears," Lloyd said.

"Towards the end of last year I asked (Grafton trainer) John Shelton what he thought of her. He said you wouldn't meet a harder worker who's more level headed.

"She's getting to that stage now where she's starting to read races."

While much of her success is the result of hard work and commitment, it is also the fruits of a labour of love.

"I started working and riding trials for Paddy in March last year and I love it. It's an amazing job," Worley said.

"He's an awesome boss; there wouldn't be anywhere else I'd go.

"Paddy and Kath are the loveliest people. They're like family."

Worley has had no trouble picking up rides for today's meeting.

Taree trainer Jim Delaney has booked her on Floral Insight for the Betting-Tips.com.au Open Handicap (1000m).

Delaney said it was a matter of necessity more than anything after the winner of 16 races attracted a frustrating topweight of 66 kilograms.

"Not much thought behind it really," Delaney said.

"The horse has 66 kilos on it and I've got to get the weight off.

"I don't know her personally but I watched her the other day and the horses seem to travel for her."

As a first-year apprentice Worley claims three kilograms off the nominated weight. Even so, Floral Insight, with a benchmark rating of 93, still gives 4.5kg to the next highest weighted rival Private Express (58.5kg).

Worley is the only rider without a break in her schedule today.

Priscilla Schmidt and Ben Looker each have seven rides and Marlon Dolendo and Kasie Stanley six.

Originally published as Birthday girl is riding high