Who were the most profitable jockeys and trainers in Queensland last season?

UNHERALDED apprentice Amelia Denby was the only Queensland-based jockey to return a profit for punters last season.

Amelia Denby is top of the list when it comes to profit for punters last season. Pics Tim Marsden

UNHERALDED apprentice Amelia Denby was the only Queensland-based jockey to return a profit for punters last season.

Denby was the only hoop who returned a profit to punters from all rides last season when comparing the 40 highest-ranked Queensland jockeys on the Brisbane metropolitan premiership table last season.

Punters would have made a profit of $380 if they had a $10 win bet at starting price on each of Denby’s 154 rides last season (25 per cent profit on turnover).

The New Zealander is indentured to Brisbane trainer Steve O’Dea and had her first ride in Queensland at the Gold Coast on November 14 last year.

The 26-year-old booted home a $41 winner (Bilberry Star) at the Gold Coast on January 16 and also recorded a further five winners at prices between $11-$26 last season. She also had an impressive 45 per cent strike rate on favourites last season.

Denby, who can ride at 51kg and claims 3kg on the metropolitan circuit, scored aboard Eminent Knight ($11) with her first Saturday metropolitan ride in Queensland at Eagle Farm on July 16 and continued on her merry way when she guided Catseye Surprise ($16) to victory at Doomben the following Saturday.

Denby’s apprenticeship finishes at the end of this month but the underrated jockey is keen to kick on and make the most of her second coming as a jockey.

“I had quite a bit of time off between my apprenticeship time in New Zealand and here in Australia and I spent (two years) riding trackwork at Flemington (from 2013 to 2015),” Denby said.

“I wasn’t sure if I was going to come back to riding ... but being at Flemington and in amongst the buzz of the spring carnival it does make you realise that racing can take you places and you can make something of yourself as a successful jockey.

“It opened my eyes to the world of racing and obviously it’s a lot bigger industry in Australia and it made me sit down and think I’m a natural lightweight and I love the horses, so it got me going again.”

Meanwhile, seven Queensland trainers from the top 40 on the Brisbane metropolitan premiership table returned a profit for punters last season, led by Toowoomba-based Steve Tregea.

A $10 win bet on each of Tregea’s 79 runners last season would have left punters with a profit of $287 at a very healthy 36 per cent profit on turnover.

“I must be backing the wrong ones of mine then,” Tregea quipped.

“We won a few races last season and we targeted specific races but we don’t get it right all the time.”

Other Queensland trainers to return a profit for punters last season include Doug Roberts, Barry Lockwood, Jack Duncan, the Gold Coast’s own Kelly Doughty, Rex Lipp and Kelso Wood.

Top 10 for 2015-16

Jockey POT (%) *Profit S/rate (%) Rides

Amelia Denby 25 $380 13 154

Damian Browne -4 -$144 24 302

Jimmy Orman -9 -$1,088 12 1158

Jeff Lloyd -13 -$979 15 785

Geoffrey Goold -13 -$267 9 210

Brad Stewart -14 -$540 13 386

Matt McGuren -17 -$1,007 18 594

Luke Dittman -19 -$599 19 309

Robbie Fradd -20 -$1,402 12 703

Kelvin Wharton -24 -$418 7 177

*$10 win bet per ride at official starting price

Source: Racing And Sports

Trainer POT (%) *Profit S/rate (%) Runners

Steve Tregea 36 $287 20 79

Doug Roberts 20 $98 14 50

Barry Lockwood 19 $327 19 172

Jack Duncan 18 $283 16 158

Kelly Doughty 7 $119 16 164

Rex Lipp 4 $80 15 201

Kelso Wood 2 $21 23 116

Matt Dunn -6 -$326 18 510

J & C Meagher -7 -$127 17 174

Tony Sears -8 -$316 18 392

*$10 win bet per runner at official starting price

Source: Racing And Sports

Originally published as Who were the most profitable jockeys and trainers in Queensland last season?