Country racing stalwart Denise Ballard has champion jockey Jimmy Orman in the saddle in the $200,000 Country Cups Final, but there is one jockey she wishes she had instead.
Her husband, Keith.
The 70-year-old veteran hoop, who according to the Australian Jockeys Association is the oldest jockey in the country, will instead be legged aboard five horses at Mt Isa on Saturday as Denise and son Dan look to win with their respective horses at Doomben.
The Ballards are one of the most remarkable racing families in Australia, dominating the Queensland country racing scenes for decades.
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Denise Ballard’s trip to Brisbane with Vigorous Flow is not an easy one, with the veteran galloper enduring a four-day float trip from Mt Isa in scorching heat to take his place in the field.
“It is four days on the truck for him to get to Brisbane, it was 43 degrees when he jumped on, so we had to give him two weeks to recuperate once he got to town,” she said.
“I may never get to qualify again and I wouldn’t know what it is like, so we jumped at this when we got the chance after qualifying at Cloncurry.
“I hadn’t set this horse for this race because I didn’t think he would qualify, so he has been all over Queensland on the back of a truck, he has done so many miles.”
With son Dan riding topweight Echo Point due to weight restrictions, Ballard called upon Orman when Keith opted to stay at home.
“It was a shame he didn’t come and ride him for me, I offered it to him but there is a jockey shortage at home and I have one starting, he said he’d stay home,” she said.
“It would have been nice, Dan wouldn’t be able to ride my horse’s weight, as it turns out we have a good option to go to.
“One day we will try and make it all line up.”
With a team of horses, the Ballards run a family first model and Denise said she loves seeing Dan and Keith go toe-to-toe in races.
“I don’t care which one of them wins the race, so long as it is my horse,” she laughed.
“It’s good with us doing it all together, Keith rides the lightweights, Dan rides the heavyweights and it works.
“Keith has retired from full-time work as a storeman at CNW Electrical and he was at Hastings before that, it has freed us up a lot.
“When Keith beats Dan, he takes it a bit rough sometimes.
“Every so often Keith will pull something out of his hat and win a race when you think you have him beat, it is unreal.”
Vigorous Flow is rated a $10 chance with TAB, while Echo Point is also $10.
