Jockey Ryan Plumb enjoying standout season on the Gold Coast
IT took jockey Ryan Plumb a month to get his first win on the Gold Coast but he now rivals premiership leader Dan Griffin as one of the best in a stunning return to Queensland racing.
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IT took jockey Ryan Plumb a month to get his first win on the Gold Coast but he now rivals premiership leader Dan Griffin as one of the best in a stunning return to Queensland racing.
Plumb arrived back on the Glitter Strip from Melbourne in October and was initially forced to travel to Toowoomba hours after riding on the Gold Coast as he found his feet again.
But the 27-year-old is now being booked out for rides on the Gold Coast more than a week out from meetings after developing a strike rate of 21% with 13 wins at the track from 63 rides.
Only premier Gold Coast hoop Griffin, who leads the jockey’s premiership with 33 wins, has a better strike rate at 22%.
Plumb now sits tied third with Matthew McGuren in the race for the Gold Coast jockeys premiership with apprentice Jag Guthmann-Chester (18) second behind Griffen.
It is a stunning achievement considering Plumb’s rivals had a three month headstart.
Plumb’s latest wins at the Gold Coast came on Saturday when he rode the Les Kelly-trained Dream Piper and Desmon’s Pride to victory.
Plumb credited the support of Kelly and the increased backing from other trainer’s wanting to be involved with the talented jockey as well as his knowledge of the track for his recent form.
“It’s been going good lately,” Plumb said.
“It probably took me a month or five weeks to ride my first winner at the Gold Coast and since then I’ve really just been consistently riding winners pretty much every week.
“I’m starting to get some good support off the local trainers now and everything is just falling into place.
“I have worked out how to ride the track too. It’s an easy track to ride but also very tricky with the way you have to ride it.
“Once you find that trick it’s a big advantage to your horse in the home straight. It seems to have a little bit of a sweet spot depending where the rail is.
“That has definitely been key to me having success over the past six to eight weeks.”
Plumb’s performances have resulted in a handful of opportunities to ride in Brisbane where he managed to finish second in a stakes race with the John Zielke-trained Make My Own Luck.
Catching Griffin could be too far a stretch for Plumb who will count a top two finish in the jockeys premiership as a hugely successful season.
“It’s pretty exciting so it would be nice to finish first or second,” Plumb said.
Plumb didn’t expect to find his feet so quickly but it has come as no surprise to trainer sister Angela, also based on the Gold Coast, who backed him to continue to win.
“We expected him to go this well because we are from Queensland originally and before we moved up here the locals said they would give him support,” Angela Plumb said.
“He is a great rider and learnt to ride in Queensland.
Gold Coast Jockeys Premiership top five:
Daniel Griffin: 33
Jag Guthmann-Chester: 18
Ryan Plumb: 13
Matthew McGuren: 13
Brooke Ainsworth: 11
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