In Brief
- Moonlight Escapade ends long drought for talented rider.
- Parish also had success over the jumps.
- Parish glad to be back doing what she loves.
It was nine years ago that talented jockey Dianne Parish hung up her riding boots, but the thrill of riding winners eventually drew her back to the sport that gave her so much joy.
Last Sunday in Devonport Parish returned to the winner’s circle almost two years after she renewed her licence, with a great display aboard the Team Wells-trained Moonlight Escapade.
Parish gave riding away soon after she rode Fugitive Lass to victory on the inside grass track in Hobart on 3 July, 2011.
But it was the thrill of riding thoroughbreds that had her back riding trackwork for Michael Trinder about three years ago and that led to her reapplying for her jockey’s license, which she acquired in 2018.
Parish, 53, hasn’t had a lot of rides since she returned to race riding, but she admitted after saluting aboard the Team Wells-trained four-year-old that it was good to get the monkey off her back.
“There’s nothing better than riding a winner and even though I came back to riding simply because I love riding horses, I was starting to wonder if I’d ever get another winner,” Parish said.
“I’m sure it wasn’t a pretty sight over the concluding stages because it felt like I was going to jump over the horse’s head, but I was just very keen to get the job done.”
Parish also had success over the jumps with her biggest win coming in the 1990 Grand National Steeple aboard Angzette.
Parish says her love of horses and the racing industry proved too strong a lure, although she still regards riding trackwork in winter as one of the vagaries of being a jockey.
“It’s about a 90-minute drive from my place at Low Head to Spreyton every morning to ride trackwork and that’s not pleasant in the winter but it is just a part of what you have to do as a jockey if you want to get rides.
“I’m fit, I’m keen and I’ve never had any weight problems, so I thought why not get back into it, albeit on a limited rides basis.
“I gave riding away because there were other things that came into my life that I needed to take care of but I started to get keen on returning about three years ago when those other things were sorted out.
“Right now I’m doing a bit of trackwork for the Wells stable and I help Michael (Trinder) out when he needs me, but he’s only got three in work and he likes to ride them all.”
Parish almost made it a double when she partnered the Team Wells-trained Gee Gee Pureblonde into second place in a benchmark 60 handicap.
The gelding was only beaten a length and had no luck in the home straight.
Watch Dianne Parish notch her first winner in nine years aboard Moonlight Escapade.