Apprentice hoop Angela Jones excited for SA experience

By Jordan Gerrans

In-form hoop Angela Jones will be out to commence Queensland’s 2022 National Apprentice Race Series campaign on a perfect note at Strathalbyn on Wednesday afternoon.

The 20-year-old has only ever ridden on the provincial circuit in the Sunshine State across her couple of seasons of experience as a jockey and will be making her interstate debut in South Australia.

Inside the top ten for the state-wide jockey’s premiership in Queensland this season, Jones has two rides at Strathalbyn, both of which are in apprentice races.

Shane Scriven - Senior Racing Queensland Apprentice Coach – says the talented youngster booked herself for the interstate trip, such has been her strong form in recent months.

Jones rode 56 winners in her first year as an apprentice jockey, a tally she is set to surpass in her sophomore campaign.

“Ang picked herself pretty much in this series, heading to South Australia,” Scriven said.

“She is riding multiple winners and she conducts herself very well.

“She was a shoo-in for the trip. There are two races she will ride in during the trip, we will do plenty of homework into the rides. She is very excited.”

Jones has been particularly dominant at Toowoomba’s Clifford Park this season, including riding three winners last Wednesday afternoon, where she completes her apprenticeship with experienced trainer Lindsay Hatch.

The up-and-coming apprentice has been one of the best performed riders on the provincial scene this season, ranked second for winners behind fellow apprentice Zac Lloyd.

The Charters Towers product will ride Mumbles for Grant Young in South Australia on Wednesday followed by Grey Vitality for the Searle and Callanan team.

“I’m very excited and grateful for the opportunity to represent Queensland in this series,” Jones told News Corp.

“I’m looking forward to the challenge.

“Here (South East Queensland) you become familiar with a lot of things the horses, the tracks and the jockeys you’re riding against.

“It’s going to be a completely different game down there though.

“I’ll take a look at some video before I head to down to see how the track runs and walk it (the track) with Racing Queensland officials before we race.”

The Brisbane leg is the second of the NARS – which will be run seven days after the Strathalbyn – before the series turns to Tasmania and Victoria.

Queensland have been a bridesmaid in the NARS series a few times in recent years and Scriven is hopeful 2022 might just be the year the Sunshine State riders break through.