Wiggins logs career best season in the saddle

By Jordan Gerrans

Ryan Wiggins has just put the finishing touches on a career best season in the saddle and now he has turned his attention to feature success through the 2023 Northern Queensland Winter Racing Carnival.

The 40-year-old jockey collected 139 victories in the just completed 2022-23 racing season, with many of those coming on the North Queensland circuit.

A Group 1-winner earlier in his career, Wiggins won the famous Cleveland Bay Handicap at Cluden Park last year aboard Wren’s Day.

He will be back at the Townsville track on Sunday in search of more winners before the northern carnival turns further up the coast again to Cairns’ Cannon Park in the coming weeks.

Wiggins’ previous career best tally was 107 victories back in the 2020-21 season.

He smashed that record in the campaign just completed and improved on his strike-rate as well, going at 23.1 per cent over the last 12 months.

“It has been a really good season, the most I had ridden before his year is 107,” Wiggins said.

“It has been a full on season with a lot of racing but it has been a really good season.

“It is a big thing for me to be able to tick off that many winners in one season. I have been very lucky to get on a good run.”

For total victories in the Sunshine State last season, Wiggins finished third overall, trailing just James Orman and Ben Thompson, who both went past 150.

The Cairns-trained Smart Image handed Wiggins another triumph to his resume last Saturday afternoon when the strong sprinter took out the Open Handicap over 1200 metres at Townsville. 

The win on Saturday makes Smart Image exempt for the ballot for the Cleveland Bay Handicap later this month.

The father-and-son training team of Trevor and Peter Rowe are keen to keep Wiggins on for the Cluden Park feature sprint next Saturday.

Wiggins is classified as a ‘FIFO jockey’, living in Brisbane and flying north to the regional cities to ply his trade on race day.

Regional Queensland racing broadcaster Russell Leonard says Wiggins and his cohort of jockeys who fly to the northern areas of the state are key to the racing industry continuing to tick along.

“Ryan is a wonderful jockey and a real talent in our riding ranks in the Sunshine State,” the race caller said.

“He has ridden a big number of winners this year and is striking at just under a 25 per cent. Punters love putting their cash on Ryan Wiggins.

“He is key to Central and North Queensland Ryan, and other jockeys like him, because we need FIFO riders to bolster the jockey ranks.”

With the Townsville Cup and Cleveland Bay Handicap next Saturday, Cluden Park is set to host their annual Lightning Handicap, Magic Millions Townsville Guineas and the Belle of the Burdekin this Sunday.

Wiggins has a strong book of rides and is set to be prominent once again.

He will partner Goldschlager for Rockhampton trainer Jared Wehlow in the Belle of the Burdekin, which will be run for fillies and mares at Benchmark 70 level over 1400 metres.

Wiggins also has Tru Blu Tango for Ricky Vale in the Lightning Handicap. 

He has a book of six rides across the program. 

“Mentally, I am pretty good at the moment and I am having a lot of luck with things going well,” Wiggins said.

“I have been able to stay injury free for the most part, as well as no suspensions. I have been lucky to get on some nice horses for a few top trainers up here in the north.

“It is a big couple of months for racing in North Queensland.

“We have got a broad range of trainers to ride for over the four tracks through the carnival and they always have nice horses to jump on.”

As well as the Cleveland Bay Handicap last year, Wiggins claimed the Mackay Cup of 2021 aboard Hail Manhattan and also has claimed the Rockhampton Cup and Newmarket in years gone by.

He says he would love to win a Townsville or Cairns Cup in the near future.

“Ryan rides a lot of winners in the north and is a highly sought after jockey with a tremendous strike-rate,” Mackay Turf Club president John Philps said.

“All owners and trainers are always fighting for his services and it is great to have him up here. He is the jockey that punters want to follow.”