Amelia Heinrich's riding dream to come true

By Jordan Gerrans

Amelia Heinrich’s grandparents planted the idea in her mind about racing in the Sunshine State and they will be at Nanango on Saturday to see her achieve her dreams of becoming a jockey. 

Despite growing up in South Australia and initially riding trackwork around Adelaide, the 18-year-old always had plans to try her hand at riding in Queensland.

She shifted north at the start of 2024 as she chased her dreams of becoming a jockey.

The Gold Coast-based apprentice was all set to resume race riding late last year before an injury put her on the sidelines for an extended period of time.

The lightweight youngster has fought her way back to full fitness and will debut at Nanango Race Club on Saturday with one engagement for her master Renita Beaton.

Heinrich’s mum will fly north to be there for the occasion on Saturday while her Brisbane-based grandparents will also make the drive out. 

The apprentice jockey’s grandparents Kathy and Peter Wooldridge have been regulars at trackwork watching their granddaughter progress after they got her started in the game earlier in her life. 

“I always had it in the back of my mind that it would be better off coming to Queensland,” Heinrich said of growing up in South Australia. 

“I have always sort of followed Queensland racing and my grandparents lived up here already so when we would come up for a holiday, we would always go to the races.

“I just loved Eagle Farm and Doomben. It drew me up here to be honest.”

While Heinrich’s grandparents were keen racegoers, none of her immediate family have ever been directly involved in racing and horses in general so it was all a new learning curve for the then teenager. 

Heinrich initially worked for the Scott Whittle camp at Strathalbyn in SA who pushed her to head north and further her career opportunities. 

The young hoop spoke to her former boss this work who was stoked that she was on the verge of her maiden race day booking. 

“I wanted to purse my dream of riding,” she recalls of her move to Queensland. 

“There is a lot more opportunities up here and I wanted to get more exposure from riding with other riders up here while also getting more guidance from other trainers.”

On arrival in the Sunshine State, the Croweater worked for the Munce yard at Eagle Farm for a period of time.

It was eventually decided it would be best for Heinrich’s career to shift stables to a location where she could receive race riding opportunities from her master as the Munces mainly race in the city.

While the GC-based Beaton also has many city runners, she also frequents country and provincial TAB meetings. 

She will make a rare trip to Nanango for a non-TAB raceday on Saturday with Ma's Epic’s set to be Heinrich’s first ride in a race. 

The bay mare has drawn the nine alley in the QTIS Class 3 Plate over 1000 metres. 

After growing up in New Zealand, Beaton had her first stint in Australia working under the tutelage of leading Brisbane trainer Rob Heathcote.

In those days, champion sprinter Buffering was flying the flag for the Heathcote camp, with Beaton riding the tough sprinter in his trackwork all around the globe.

Following that, Beaton spent almost six years riding trackwork in Hong Kong before taking out her own training ticket in Australia.

Beaton’s apprentice says the stable is a perfect place for her to launch her riding tenure. 

“She is a very good horsewoman for starters, as is her partner,” Heinrich said of her master. 

“I have learnt a lot in that aspect from them.

“They have been very, very helpful. They go through all my replays with me.

“They have set this horse up for Saturday and helped me find the right rides, as well.

“I ride with Renita every morning, which is really helpful.”

The apprentice hoop also rides outside trackwork for Allan Chau and the Munce stable at Aquis Park to further her development.

Heinrich rode Ma's Epic in a trial at Deagon at the start of September and the young rider believes the daughter of Magnus is a great kick-off point for her career. 

“I ride her every morning in trackwork and her trials and everything,” she said.

“I am pretty familiar with her.

“It should be a nice ride as she is pretty straightforward, which is good.”