Renita Beaton and Gillian Heinrich begin 2023/24 racing season in style

Rising trainer Renita Beaton has reflected on her red-hot start to the season alongside Gillian Heinrich as Queensland’s first all-female training duo.

Gold Coast racing trainer Renita Beaton. Picture: Eddie Franklin

Queensland’s first all-female training duo has begun the season in red-hot form with four wins and three placings from their opening 13 starts.

Following a near decade-long health battle, Magic Millions-winning trainer Gillian Heinrich recently announced she is now cancer free and has joined forces with rising trainer Renita Beaton.

Beaton returned from Hong Kong, where she was a renowned work rider, to begin her own training career before speaking with Heinrich at the jumpouts one morning.

“I was training on my own and we never mentioned a partnership or anything, it was just a general chat on training and I mentioned how I wasn’t overly happy with where I was and what I was doing,” Beaton said.

“She phoned me a few days later and offered me a partnership and we had a few more conversations and it’s all just gone from there.”

Renita Beaton used to ride track work in Hong Kong before moving back to Queensland to take up training. Picture: Supplied. Picture: Racing Queensland

Based on the Gold Coast, the pair have recorded winners at the Sunshine Coast, Beaudesert and Doomben this season.

The 32-year-old said she had enjoyed the early season results.

“To get the four winners was a great confidence booster for the stable and the partnership in general has been amazing,” she said.

“It’s obviously a great opportunity for me to join such an elite horsewomen and such a beautiful person in general.”

Gold Coast horse trainer Gillian and daughter Tayla Heinrich at their stables with horse Invinsible Tears. Picture: Adam Head

With 32 horses in their stable currently, Beaton hoped they could extend their positive performances in the coming months.

“I’m not aiming too high but I think to get the stable going as best as they can and getting every individual horse racing at their top level would be good,” she said.

“To get a few metropolitan horses would be really nice as well and I think that’s one of Gillian’s aims to get that extra bit of quality amongst them.

“Beaux Rumble is one who trialled really well last week at Beaudesert and will probably have another trial.

“He’s a lovely horse that’s got his name out there already after winning a few early.”

Originally published as Renita Beaton and Gillian Heinrich begin 2023/24 racing season in style