Back to where it began for Michael Heagney

By Jordan Gerrans

Group-winning hoop Michael Heagney is set for a Sunshine State homecoming and will give the Central West riding ranks a big boost in the process.

The veteran jockey has competed across Australia throughout his career and will head to Longreach on Wednesday of this week to link up with the local leading stable of Mark Oates.

The 59-year-old will ride at the Longreach Jockey Club meeting this Saturday, which is headlined by their Publican’s Cup over 1200 metres.

In recent years, Heagney has spent his winter months in Western Australia and the summertime based around Canberra, which included travelling to the border tracks near Victoria,

He is keen to give the Central West a crack and flagged the likelihood of travelling west to Mount Isa and in the other direction to Rockhampton when opportunities present.

“The racing's not easy here where I am now, it's very hard racing and it is tough to get rides these days with a lot of Sydney horses and riders coming into our area,” Heagney said.

“I just thought it might be easier to get rides.

“For me, you can probably still get to Rockhampton or to Mount Isa.

“If you look at Queensland on a Saturday, there is always big numbers of meetings every Saturday whereas where I am now, there is only one.

“It is just sort of the same jockeys and same trainers all fighting out the same races.

“I've never been to Longreach, but I'll go there and have a look and see what I think.”

Heagney has ridden extensively throughout Queensland in earlier stages of his career and hails from the Sunshine State.

According to Racing.com’s statistics, the experienced jockey has tallied 93 winners on the provincial and country circuit in the Sunshine State as well as two in the city.

Despite riding in WA and around different country areas throughout the year, Heagney has kept a house in Queensland and regularly returns home.

He was apprenticed at Doomben in the early days of his career before switching to riding for the late Kelso Wood at Eagle Farm.

Heagney was pointed in the direction of Longreach horseman Oates by Pakenham trainer Frankie Stockdale who travelled a team of horses through regional Queensland a few years ago.

The 57-year-old Oates has three horses nominated for Saturday’s Longreach meeting including the progressive Yes Larry who has won twice from three attempts.

Heagney has ridden in more than 30 black-type races across his career and has won at Group 2 level once as well as two Listed triumphs, according to Racing And Sports’ statistics.

The well-travelled jockey was booked for three rides at Shoalhaven City Turf Club on Monday before heading to Queensland later in the week.

Heagney last rode a winner at Braidwood in early February.

He has been a consistent jockey wherever he has ridden across the last decade, going past 25 winners every season.

The veteran jockey enjoyed a 45-win term in the 2021-22 campaign which is his highest mark over the last decade.