AS READ IN RACENET
You too might have seen the name Debono in the winner’s list at Ballarat yesterday and thought, that’s sounds a little familiar.
Only just a little, you might be thinking of Ricky Debono, that jockey once apprenticed to the Moloney family at Caulfield at the turn of the century, now 37 and back at it, and a first professional winner since Murtoa 2008. Yes that’s tight 2008.
So that is 5490 days for statistically minded nerds and for completeness since July 12, back when Kevin Rudd was PM, the year Viewed won another Cup for Bart.
That was when Debono on Benito’s Treasure for Niall Phillips (whose brother David strapped Media Puzzle to win the Melbourne Cup) beat home his brother Jason on Kiwi Thunder in a maiden, before he’d struggle on for another couple of seasons in the saddle of injury, weight issues, disillusionment, lack of opportunity, losers, and especially winners.
Obviously.
“This is the story of the day,” echoed loudly in Adam Crettenden’s call of Crowned Harmonium giving Debono that winning feeling again.
“You know what, I didn’t think it would be that good, it was a better buzz than I thought it would be and hard to even describe it,” said Debono, who had wife Tatum and the their three children, Ebony (9), “the other two are in nappies”, on course to share victory at only his second ride back from such an amazing hiatus that leaves plenty of dots to be joined.
And put aside a mandated 11 meeting suspension and $300 fine for welcome back Ricky to our new whip rules, but stewards did take into account his “record” in assessing penalty (and the fact “that he won the race.”)
Ok, history records a winner for Debono as a jockey at Oakley on a horse called Sonofear (72kg) in May 2011, but Oakley is a once a year picnic meeting, the Koorooinya races on the Elabe Station situated on the Overlander’s Way, half way between Townsville and Mount Isa, labelled Hughenden, close to Prairie.
Back then, Julia Gillard was PM, the Matilda’s were knocked out of the World Cup quarter-finals by Sweden at the quarter final stage.
“I’d been a jockey all my life, I needed a break,” he said.
“I was travelling around Australia at the time, stopped off and worked at different places, mostly cattle stations, and one of these had a small stable of horses and asked me to ride them at the local meeting., that’s how that came about,” Debono said.
But there was only one ride from Senofear into Crowned Harmonium and a decade plus yesterday.
Mind you, Debono was in a different winner’s list just last Friday. And still on the track.
That was Melton, the trots. He has a trainer’s licence and Big Sledge Hammer, which he owns, got home in a maiden, and that and a full time career as a farrier has sustained Debono’s drive (without driving) since leaving thoroughbreds over a decade ago.
But this is no Farnham like return tour. It’s more scratching the itch than fanning the flame.
“I’m not that excited, it’s not long term, just something I worked my way back into. I’ve got a full time job (farrier) to pay the mortgage, and a few hobbies (training and riding),” he said.
“After I got out of riding I travelled around Australia in a campervan for 10 months, went up north through Queensland across the Northern Territory and down through Western Australia,” he said.
“I had a four wheel drive and a campervan and we just stopped in different places like cattle stations and would get work for a month or so and keep going.”
A few years riding trackwork, Debono would source an apprenticeship as a farrier and to this day, and despite the pacers and saddle, remains his focus.
On Ballarat race morning before that win - he shod six, this morning another six (full plating around 45 minutes) all around Geelong, albeit an hour later start today after a few beers last night celebrating that winning return.
“I treat every plate like a losing ride,” he says.
“Being a farrier pays the mortgage so that’s the focus. It’s funny I started with a bloke called Dave McDonald, he said I’d be too weak to be a farrier, and this morning he was working with me on the tools. Amazing stuff.”
Getting into the harness has sustained the equine passion. And Debono loves it, though don’t expect him to start driving his own whilst training them.
“I feel safer and better on top of them than behind them,” he said.
“I rented a property of Steven Vella and Michael Stanley was training at the time there, I drove a few and liked it and when I had some money I purchased a few, that’s how it started,” he said.
Ghostly Silence, driven by his good friend Ash Warton was the first of those winners, now he is building a “hammer” syndicate – “I like the theme”, there is another called Eight Pound Hammer on the go.
“Harness racing is my hobby, I wouldn’t want to drive in a race, I’m just not comfortable amongst them, but it is a lot of fun.”
“But really how they make a living out of this sport is amazing, the prizemoney is woeful compared to the hours involved, you have to admire those who do it.”
“I’m better off as a farrier and it has kept me fit. I’ve never felt better. I was 73kg in January, now I walk around 58kg and only ride two mornings a week of trackwork,” he said.
He still remembers being 51.5kg when he won his first race on La Mome Piaf at the Burrumbeet New Year’s Day meeting in 2003, sharing that feat with trainer Steve Roberts.
“My second metropolitan ride was for the Moloney’s, Songs Of Vienna and it was all so exciting at the time,” he said.
He’d ride winner’s at all four metropolitan tracks, 10 at the Valley, four at Sandown, two at Flemington, one at Caulfield in the apprenticeship.
Umbula (Mick Price) perhaps the best - but also the chance on Tassie Star Conquering, a 23 time winner including a Heatherlie Stakes (for Darren Gauci) sitting well on that now distant but rekindled CV.
“Now I feel fit and healthy, I don’t need to waste, I am around 58kg on my current diet (no beers- except Monday night) but so far from my natural weight so we will see what happens, as long as I feel happy, I’ll keep doing it.”
Otherwise look out for a hammer at Melton or a hammer on a horse shoe at Geelong.
It’s not a case of Ricky still hasn’t found what he is looking for.
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