A Jockey's Dream: A Family Affair on the Grand Stage!
Imagine this: the thrill of a major race, the roar of the crowd, and the joy of sharing it all with your son. For jockey Kylie Williams, this dream is about to become a reality this Sunday as she heads to Rarotonga, hoping for a weekend filled with celebration! But before she can soak up the sun, there's a significant event on Saturday at Ellerslie, a track she's only visited twice before in her illustrious three-decade career.
Kylie is set to guide the promising Miss Ziggy, trained by Andrew Carston, in the $1.5 million TAB Karaka Millions 3YO over 1600 meters. This isn't just any race; it's a chance for a mother and son to compete on the same day at a prestigious New Zealand racing event.
But here's where it gets truly special...
Her son, Logan Bates, based in Australia, is making the trip across the Tasman to partner Jigsaw, trained by Cindy Alderson, in the Group 1 Sistema Railway (1200m). Logan isn't just riding in one race; he's also lined up for rides on In Haste in the G3 Cambridge Stud Almanzor Trophy (1200m), Moxie in the G3 Elsdon Park Aotearoa Classic (1600m), She’s No Saint in the TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m), and Moschino in the HKJC World Pool Jo Giles Stakes (1400m). Talk about a busy weekend for the Bates family!
Kylie, who achieved a remarkable 1,000th career win last September, has always harbored a desire to race against her son. This dream was realized during the New Zealand Cup Carnival at Riccarton in November. Although she initially thought that might be a one-off before her planned retirement, she's absolutely thrilled to have another opportunity, especially on the grandest stage of New Zealand racing.
"Andrew asked me to go up (to ride Miss Ziggy at Ellerslie) a couple of weeks ago and after she went a good race he asked me if I wanted to ride her on Karaka Millions night," Kylie shared. "I had planned to ride at Riccarton that day, but I will go and ride her, which is pretty cool."
She added, "Logan is coming over to ride Jigsaw, so it has worked out well and hopefully he can win on him in the Railway."
Logan has an impressive track record with Jigsaw, having guided the seven-year-old gelding to victory in his last three starts, including notable wins in the G2 McEwen Stakes (1200m) and the A$1 million Meteorite (1200m). This suggests Jigsaw is in excellent form.
While Kylie is excited to see her son compete in a Group 1 race on home soil, her primary focus remains on Miss Ziggy in their $1.5 million feature race. She's feeling confident about their chances, especially after Miss Ziggy secured a second-place finish at Ellerslie earlier this month.
"I wouldn’t be surprised if she goes a big race," Kylie stated. "We know the track doesn’t get too heavy at Ellerslie, which is a bonus because I don’t know if she would like that. Andrew is happy with her, so we just need a bit of luck."
This will only be Kylie's third time riding at Ellerslie, but she feels she's developed a good understanding of the track. She believes it will suit her filly well this weekend. "I have ridden there twice before – once was in the Auckland Cup (G2, 3200m, on Waisake) and then Ziggy the other day," she explained. "I have had a couple of runs around there now and Ziggy seems to like going that way, so she makes my job easier."
And this is the part most people miss...
While Kylie is focused on her rides at Ellerslie, she'll also be keeping a keen eye on her home meeting at Riccarton on Saturday. Here, she'll be donning her trainer's hat to saddle Leonard in the Riccarton Park Function Centre Maiden (1400m).
"Leonard is having his first run in six months," Kylie mentioned. "He probably should have raced sooner but he got injured, so I have just taken my time with him. If he was racing later in the day, I probably would have scratched him because we have had a bit of rain down here."
She continued, "He has drawn well (2) and I think Daniel (Bothamley, jockey) will suit him. He will probably need the run, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he goes a cheeky race, he is working well and he looks good. I have done my job and now it is up to Daniel and Leonard."
Kylie has been training a small team intermittently for nearly 20 years, and she finds this aspect of the industry incredibly rewarding. "I have always liked doing one or two, just as a different challenge and it gives you a different perspective," she shared.
With her jockey hat firmly back on, Kylie is eager to experience the Karaka Millions meeting for the first time and hopes to join in the family celebrations if the day's results are favorable. "I have to wait until 7pm to have my ride, so I won’t get to enjoy the other side of it much, but if Logan wins the Group 1 in the last there might be celebrating after that," she said with a smile. "There might be a hangover on the plane."
What do you think about this incredible family dynamic in racing? Is it inspiring to see a mother and son compete on such a big stage? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
