‘I’m proud of the steps I’ve taken’: Bourke proving herself up to city class

Molly Bourke didn’t think she was good enough when she arrived in Sydney a couple of years ago, but determination and a natural affinity with the horse have her as the next apprentice on the rise.

Bourke only rode a single winner in the 2022-23 season, but that has grown to 20 winners this term to be third behind Zac Lloyd and Dylan Gibbons in the apprentice standings and has her in position to make a tilt at the Sydney apprentice title next season.

Molly Bourke is all smiles after winning on Ningaloo Star.Credit: Getty Images

“She is very determined and is very good on a horse,” Bourke’s boss, John Sargent, said. “She grew up riding and that is a big advantage.

“She is growing in confidence with every winner and is a lot stronger these days. She is still improving and the best thing about her is she is a hard worker.

“She just wants to get better.”

Bourke kicked home her first Saturday double on Ningaloo Star and the Gary Nickson-trained One Destiny last weekend, and her rides are growing as trainers look to take advantage of her now two-kilo claim.

“I have come a long way since I arrived in Sydney,” Bourke said. “I have definitely improved since I got here. When I first came to Sydney I was probably not up to city class.

“I’m proud of the big steps I have taken.

“I have a lot more strength now. I’m doing PT with Trent Langlands, which has helped me heaps because he is quite brutal in the workout.

“You can see the improvement in my strength, which translates in my riding.”

Bourke has seven rides at Randwick on Saturday. Although they are all at double-figure odds with the exception of Flag Hall for Lee Freedman, there is a belief when she talks about her chances.

“It used to be a big day on a Saturday if I got four rides, but in the past couple of months I have been getting a good go with a lot of bigger trainers,” Bourke said.

“That comes from riding winners and showing I’m getting better. I’m staying on horses as well, which gives you a lot of confidence.

“With the way I’m going now, if I can keep it going for the next season, I would be a chance at the apprentices title with Zac and Dylan coming out of their time, and that’s something that I didn’t think was possible last year.”

Bourke built a good association with Felix Majestic as he went through the grades and, after a couple of stakes runs, he drops back to a benchmark 88 with Bourke back in the saddle to claim. He has been posted an $18 chance, but Bourke is clear on the way he will be ridden.

“Gary Nickson has been great for me and supporting me, and Felix Majestic has been a good horse to me. I have had the two rides on him for a win and second and I know him well,” Bourke said.

“He is a bit of a one-trick horse: you just have to let him run. You can’t hold him up, so he can be a bit awkward if you run into the one that wants to take you on.

“But under the right conditions he is a very tough horse, and very hard to run down, and that could happen on Saturday.”

Bourke also rates her chances on last-start Newcastle winner Star Impact in the Midway.

“He has been running very consistently and on his last run I thought he was up to winning a Midway,” she said.

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