Wayne O'Connell's remarkable winning comeback from dark days

By Jordan Gerrans

It was not long ago that jockey Wayne O'Connell was wondering where he was going to sleep at night.

At that point in the Group-level winning rider's life, he would have never dreamed of getting back in the winner’s enclosure on race day.

The 50-year-old stepped away from the racing industry in the early stages of the 2020-21 season when, in his own words, O'Connell’s life fell apart.

The Kiwi native won Group races as a hoop back at home before moving to Australia where he rode for many years in Western Australia, Queensland and New South Wales.

Back in the 2020-21 period, O'Connell was battling with a substance abuse addiction which eventually led to him being homeless for around two months.

“I went through a hard time,” O'Connell said on Wednesday morning not long after he finished riding work at Oakey on the Darling Downs.

“I lost everything really because of it all, my life fell away. But, I have been through counselling and Narcotics Anonymous, I put myself through that off my own bat.

“I have cleaned my life up and life has turned around from there.

“Once I did all that and sorted my life out – I wanted to come back to riding. I have not looked back from there, really.”

O'Connell did not ride in a race for more than three years and made a triumphant return to the saddle in the last month of 2023 on the non-TAB circuit in Queensland.

It all came full circle for the veteran hoop on Saturday as he grabbed his first winner back in his stunning comeback on the Polytrack at the Gold Coast.

Even in his darkest days, the thought about eventually getting back to the races was a driving force for the jockey.

“I have always loved racing and it has been my saviour,” he said.

“I think if I didn’t have racing to come back to, well I am not sure where I would be – I could have been anywhere.

“It is always good to have a goal to work towards when you are trying to sort your life and your problems out. My son has been really helpful in my recovery as well.”

It took the well-travelled jockey 20 rides to nab his much-needed return victory.

He was proud to ride it for Oakey trainer Michael Laine who has been a big supporter in his comeback, alongside the Geran family at Toowoomba.

Laine’s Littlemisscancan broke her maiden status at her 13^th start after the chestnut filly had been knocking on the door in her last four efforts.

“It was great to get the monkey of the back really as I have worked so hard to get back to where I am now,” the veteran rider said.

“I have had a lot of good support from people like the Geran family, Michael Laine and a few others at Oakey who put me on.

“Before I had my problems I was riding at Ipswich and the Gold Coast, places like that, and I was going really well until my life fell apart.

“There have been a lot of people who have supported me and many of them have said they couldn’t be happier for me. They have said they are all so proud that I have turned it around.”

Littlemisscancan began from the widest gate in the 1050 Maiden Plate and O'Connell lobbed the filly onto the fence behind the leading trio not long after the machine opened.

The three-year-old travelled behind the leader throughout and eventually wore Exceed To Ambition down in the closing stages.

O'Connell’s ride received plaudits from Gold Coast caller Mitch Manners. 

“Littlemisscancan, aided by a good piece of riding by Wayne O'Connell early on,” Manners said after the event. 

“From an outside gate, he looked like he was going to get posted wide.”

The daughter of Showtime is a galloper O'Connell regularly rides in her track work.

“I have only had the two rides on race day on this horse, we ran third at Gatton and that was a really good run,” he said.

“We thought the horse had a good show of winning on Saturday at the Gold Coast but the draw really worried us, it was a bad draw.

“A bit of luck played into the race and I was able to ease back from four deep and to get to the fence.

“The splits came at the right time and she is a tough little horse. She tries her guts out and it was good to get the win for Michael, it was good to ride it for him.”

O'Connell has long been friends with retired hoop Gary Geran who played a role in the returning jockey riding work for co-trainers Corey and Kylie Geran at Clifford Park. 

The New Zealander has ridden on both islands on his home land and tasted Group success as a rider there.

He claimed the Group 3 Preston at Awapuni in September of 1993 on a galloper named All In Fun.