Gold Coast apprentice Minehiko Shimodaira making his mark – at 43

AT 43, Minehiko Shimodaira is Australia’s oldest apprentice jockey.

Minehiko Shimodaira relaxes at his Robina home. Picture: Glenn Hampson

MEET Australia’s oldest apprentice jockey.

Minehiko Shimodaira, known simply as “Billy’’ at the track due to the difficulty of pronouncing his name, might be 43 years old but the 3kg-claiming apprentice is not letting his age get in the way.

Steven Cooke, 45 when making his riding debut in Queensland in 2012, used to be known as Australia’s oldest apprentice but his last ride was more than two years ago.

“I think I might be the oldest (apprentice jockey) in Australia and sometimes I joke about that,” Shimodaira said.

The Japanese hoop, who had 56 rides in Australia in the early 2000s, is making the most of his second coming as a jockey under trainer Marcus Wilson on the Gold Coast.

Minehiko Shimodaira rides Mantecado to victory on the Gold Coast. Picture: Jessica Hawkins/Trackside Photography.

Shimodaira rode Mantecado to victory for Wilson at the Gold Coast on Saturday and has two rides for his boss at Lismore today.

“I’m very happy to be race riding again and my master help me very much,” Shimodaira said.

“I couldn’t get a working visa (in 2002) so I went back to Japan.

“It is very hard to get jockey licence in Japan so I went to university and I was studying (Japanese history) and had a part-time job as a shop assistant.

“I graduated my university and I was thinking what job should I do.

“I couldn’t find a good job in Japan, so I thought I want to try race riding again.

“I make my body fit in Japan and came back to Australia in 2012.”

Shimodaira spent a year riding trackwork for trainer David Hayes at Flemington before a stint with Kerry Parker at Kembla Grange on the NSW south coast.

He got married in 2014 and has since resurrected his riding career on the Gold Coast.

“My wife is my sponsor and I have got visa,” he said.

Minehiko Shimodaira with his wife Saori and daughter Luka, 14. Picture: Glenn Hampson

Shimodaira might be 43 but Wilson insists he doesn’t look a day over 22.

“He is older than most of the senior riders but you would not pick his age,” Wilson said. “He is a very balanced rider and he is pretty switched on.

“He has only been race riding for five or six weeks and he has a freakish strike rate.”

Shimodaira has booted home two winners from 11 rides this year and 13 winners from 67 rides overall for a 19 per cent strike rate.

Wilson is hoping Shimodaira’s good form can continue when he rides Elmotino (race 5) and his favourite horse, Albert’s Choice (race 6) at Lismore today.

“This is a little easier race than what Elmotino has been racing in and from barrier 4 and with the 3kg claim he is an each-way chance,” Wilson said.

“Albert’s Choice is racing really well for an old horse and he goes really good for Billy (Minehiko).

“He gets in with just 51kg and Minehiko can claim 3kg off the minimum.

“It’s a strong race and there are a few horses coming out of that good mile race in Brisbane but he is an each-way chance as well.”