NSW country: Border base a boon for Bohr
By Tim Egan, January 14, 2019 - 3:16 PM

With a background in pony club and show horses and with father Trevor an established trainer in the Riverina, one might have expected that Jodie Bohr would seek a career in racing, but that wasn’t her original plan. 
On leaving school at 16, she began working as a veterinary nurse. It was only after a year, during which time she rode trackwork for her father, that Bohr decided that she wanted  to become a jockey.
She became apprenticed to her father in the early 1980s, when female jockeys were relatively scarce and struggled to get rides. 
“It was really hard for female jockeys to get rides back in those days.You tended to get legged up on slow ones or horses that the boys wouldn’t ride,” Bohr said. 
With a combination of hard work, determination and talent, Bohr overcame those obstacles. 
In a riding career spanning more than two decades, she rode more than 300 winners. 
She has the distinction of being the first female jockey to ride a winner at Warwick Farm and the first female apprentice to win at Randwick. Both wins came aboard Sons of Fortune, a horse trained by her father. 
“I was very fortunate that Dad had a horse that was up to metropolitan standard and that he wouldn’t take me off and give the ride to a city jockey, which was often the case when country trainers sent horses to Sydney,” she said. 
While Bohr rates those two city wins as the biggest of her riding career, her best day in the saddle came at her home track, Albury. 
“I once rode four winners on the program at a TAB meeting there and that was my best day in racing. That was special.”
On retiring from race riding, Bohr turned to training. 
“It wasn’t something I’d intended to do but when I retired as a jockey, it just seemed to be a natural progression for me.” 
With just a small team in work she has several country cups to her credit and is now looking to expand her business. 
“I’ve currently got seven horses in work, but could take another dozen.” 
Bohr shares a stable complex with her father right on the Albury racecourse. 
“We don’t even have to cross the road and Albury is a great place to train from. Racing is strong in the region — we can race horses on both sides of the border.
‘For Victorian owners wanting to take advantage of the prizemoney increases in NSW and perhaps have a go at the big money on offer with the TAB Highway Handicaps, Albury with its excellent facilities and location has a lot to offer.” 
Bohr can be contacted on 0428 256 079. 
Eleanor in form
On the subject of female jockeys, one who doesn’t get the opportunities her talent deserves is Cowra-based Eleanor Webster-Hawes, who has featured in this column previously. 
Last week she travelled to Orange for just one ride and came away with a win. Her winning strike rate for her past 50 rides stands at 14 per cent — impressive given her limited opportunities.
Smart move
Linda Meech had a productive visit to Randwick last Saturday, with Canberra galloper Smart As ($15) completing an early running double for the Victorian jockey in the Class 3 TAB Highway Handicap (1600m). 
Meech quickly had the Garry Kirkup-trained mare settled on the leaders hindquarters before taking the lead at the 400-metre mark and finishing the race off strongly to score by 1¼ lengths. 
“She jumped out of the gates well, relaxed in the run and gave a good kick from the turn,” said Meech of the five-year-old. 
The mare is now likely to be set for the Country Championships. 
A race earlier, Meech had guided $2.20 favourite Star Fall to victory over 1000 metres for the Caulfield-based training partnership of Ciaron Maher and David Eustace.
Turnberry too good
Newcastle trainer Kris Lees, who currently sits fifth on the national trainers’ premiership, added to his tally last Saturday when Turnberry ($4.20) took out the 1500-metre benchmark 78 at Randwick under leading apprentice Robbie Dolan, who rode a treble on the day. 
Awkwardly placed coming to the turn, Dolan was able to get his mount into the clear in the straight. 
The four-year-old then quickly reeled in the leaders to record a comfortable one-length win. 
Stable spokesman Cameron Swann says Lees is now likely to set the gelding for the gelding for the Provincial Championships.
Muck up
Punters were on the ball at Glen Innes last Saturday when the Glen Innes Cup (1400m) went to $2 favourite Try ’n’ Run a Muck, trained at Tamworth by Troy O’Neile and ridden by Reece Jones. 
Jones sent the six-year-old straight to the front and, although he momentarily looked like being overhauled in the straight, the gelding found his second wind and drew away to score by two lengths.
Shelton shines
Last Sunday’s Coffs Harbour feature also went to the favourite, the Pink Silks Cup (1200m) won by the John Shelton-trained $2.30 pop Tarbert, ridden by Matthew Paget. The six-year-old scored by three-quarters of a length from Ferniehurst, with Menneke Belle third.
’Curry in flavour
Seafood lovers should be heading to Tuncurry this Saturday for the Tuncurry-Foster Jockey Club’s six-race meeting, featuring the 1400-metre Oyster Cup. 
President Garry McQuillan told media fresh prawn rolls, barbecue fish and premium oysters are on the menu at the club’s dedicated seafood day.
On the same day in the state’s north west, the Deepwater Jockey Club will hold its once-a-year meeting. Naturally, the Deepwater Cup is the main feature. 

 

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