Amos' training skills on an upward spiral

By Glenn Davis

Home Hill trainer Darby Amos is the first to admit it took him some time to learn the training caper and he is confident the future looks bright.

Amos has been training since the 2019-20 season but like a good wine he is only just starting to mature.

The 38-year-old conditioner is based at the Home Hill track in the state’s north, a place he shares with one other trainer, Ricky Gudge, the local race club president.

Amos cut his teeth in racing as a trackwork rider for his father and uncle, Darryl and Norm Amos at Charters Towers, before heading off each morning to ride bulls.

“I originally come from Cloncurry, but I rode trackwork for dad and my uncle in Charters Towers for a while then went and rode bulls for fun,” Amos said.

“I started riding bulls when I was 13, just for the adrenalin kick and I gave it away when I became a father when I was 30.”

Before training, Amos had worked as a station hand on cattle properties in North Queensland and also worked in the Townsville meat works.

He conceded it was not easy when he first started training.

“It was very slow when I first started off training,” he said.

“I didn’t have the gift, but I’ve earned my stripes now.”

Amos is still searching for his first winner of the new racing season after having saddled only three starters for one placing.

He has five starters at Home Hill on Tuesday and ironically rates his most recent winner, Kings Castle, and stable newcomer Hell Of A Trip as his best hopes.

Kings Castle - a Wanderson D’Avila mount - lines up in the Class 3 Plate over 1830 metres while Hell Of A Trip tackles the Class 2 Handicap over 1000 metres.

Kings Castle was his last winner in an 1830 metre Benchmark race at Home Hill on June 28 before finishing second in Mackay and 10th at his last appearance in a 2000 metre Benchmark race at Mackay on July 26.

“I don’t know what went wrong last start and it’s still a mystery,” Amos said.

“I went back to the drawing board with him and gave him four days out in the paddock and we can’t find anything wrong.

“His work has been great since I freshened him up and I think he’ll be hard to beat this time.”

Hell Of A Trip - a Chris Meehan ride - hasn’t raced since finishing last of six on the synthetic track at Ballarat on July 22.

The five-year-old mare was previously trained by Patrick and Michelle Payne and started 12 times in Victoria for two wins and as many placings.

“She’s a monster of mare who stands at 16.2 hands and weighs 562kgs,” Amos said.

“She arrived in great order and Patrick says she’ll be a nice mare up this way.”