Pointon writes her name into Birdsville history

By Jordan Gerrans

It only took apprentice Samantha Pointon a couple of minutes to write her name into the Birdsville history books, but Saturday’s victory in the iconic Cup was, in reality, months in the making.

The lightweight rider was added to the illustrious list of jockeys to win the coveted Outback prize aboard Raetihi for Mackay conditioner Lachie Manzelmann.

There are not many riders in the Sunshine State who cover as much ground as the Toowoomba-based Pointon.

From week to week, she can easily bob up at Atherton in the Far North, Blackall in the Central West or tracks such as Nanango and Warwick a little closer to home.

The 25-year-old believes her work ethic across Queensland over the last couple of years has convinced trainers that she is willing to do the hard yards and she has been rewarded mightily for her determination.

“I make the most of it everywhere I go pretty much,” Pointon said on Monday after winning the Birdsville Cup a few days earlier.

“Because I've done so much travelling, nobody's afraid to ask me if I will go somewhere.

“I have great friends and family in places such as Cairns, Townsville and the Atherton Tablelands who let me stay with them when I am up there to ride.”

There is no rest for the wicked, either, as Pointon is back in action at Townsville’s Cluden Park on Tuesday afternoon.

As she has completed the kilometres across the state, the winners have followed.

Pointon tallied 40 winners last season and has started the 2026-27 campaign with a bang in the $70,000 Birdsville Cup.

It is a race that is steeped in history and the apprentice, who is only in her third season of riding, was still pinching herself in the days following her career-best achievement.

“That’s just the significance of the race, I just didn't quite realise how big it was,” she said.

“It is absolutely crazy and it really didn't sink in quite as much until I got back to our hotel at Bedourie after the race.

“I just had so many people messaging me, so many people saying that I'm written in history now and that is just so crazy to comprehend. It is a really good feeling.”

Pointon joins a select list of female riders who have claimed the iconic Birdsville Cup over the years.

She does so as an apprentice, which adds to the significance of her triumph.

Rebecca Kerwin, who now trains at Roma, was the first lady to win the race back in 2003, while Kayla Cross, Brooke Richardson, Emily Finnegan and Emma Bell have followed.

Fellow apprentice Bailie Baker was first past the post last year before the result was switched to a Bell victory.

In a touching moment, Kerwin was at the races on Saturday and discussed the topic with Pointon after her Cup triumph.

Kerwin won the race prior to the Birdsville Cup. 

The Manzelmann-prepared Raetihi started as an outsider in the market, but the old gelding was able to lead all the way and score by more than two lengths.

Lachie’s father John owns Raetihi and previously trained him before he merged his stable with his son.

Through Pointon’s efforts to ride far and wide across the state, she developed an association with the Manzelmann clan, which helped land the Cup booking for Saturday.

“Johnny supported me a hell of a lot in my early days,” she recalled.

“He was one of the first trainers to put me on far away from home, Bowen and all those places.

“He supported me for a long time through the good, the bad and the ugly. There was a lot of bad and ugly.

“I've had rides with them and I still get a ride every here and there for John when I'm going to a meeting where they still need someone.

“But, it was really, really good to get a big win for them because they supported me for so long.

“I didn't really get an opportunity to ride very many winners for them. So, to get a big one like that, that is very, very special to me.”

The young jockey had ridden Raetihi on six occasions before Saturday’s Cup, including winning aboard the seven-year-old at Mackay in October of last year.

The Manzelmann stable has enjoyed a rich vein of form of late, including winning several feature events during the Northern Queensland Winter Racing Carnival before heading west to Birdsville.

Birdsville caller Josh Fleming made special mention of the apprentice as the Mackay galloper skipped to the winning post.

“Sammie Pointon - you are a Birdsville Cup winner,” Fleming said.

Pointon is indentured to Darling Downs horseman Tom Dougall, which has played a key role in her being able to travel across the state in search of winners.

The smiling Dougall has encouraged her to chase race riding opportunities, instead of having her remain around Toowoomba to ride trackwork for his stable every day.

Birdsville Race Club Vice President Gary Brook expressed his thanks for the thousands of racegoers who had travelled to the outback event.

“Thank you to all our trainers and racegoers for supporting us and the surrounding outback communities,” Brook said.

“To look around the track and see people enjoying themselves, backing the horses and celebrating everything that makes the Outback special is incredibly rewarding.

“Congratulations to the Manzelmanns on another great win in the Cup.

“They make a huge effort with the number of horses they bring each year - it’s nice to see that pay off.”