3 minute read
Visiting apprentice Hannah Le Blanc credits Tasmania with helping her become a much better and more confident jockey.
Hannah Le Blanc has become a regular at Tasmanian race meetings and is starting to meet with some riding success.
"I think Tassie has changed me. I wouldn't be where I am if I hadn't started coming down here, it's not just the horses and the wins, its the people I'm riding around, the atmosphere in the rooms between the jockeys, everyone is good mates and it's just a really good environment," Le Blanc said.
"I love where I'm at and how it's going. I'm getting on the right horses, and my confidence is building, and that's helping me heaps.
"I used to put lots of pressure on myself, and that didn't help me. I found it really tough that sometimes horses just weren't good enough and I'd always blame myself."
One of Le Blanc's biggest supporters is Broadmarsh trainer Brendan Mcshane. In November, the pair had a winning treble in consecutive races in Launceston.
At the time, McShane said he was surprised he was the only trainer using Le Blanc.
They will combine again this week in Launceston, two of Le Blanc's three rides at the meeting are for McShane, with Ding Ding in race 5 and Thelma in the seventh. Le Blanc's only other ride is aboard the Barry Campbell-trained Akyria in the first.
A mature-aged apprentice, Le Blanc, 28, doesn't come from a racing family, and although she has always loved horses, she has dabbled at other vocations.
"I went to Uni, I studied primary school teaching, but I didn't finish that, the thought of being inside all day didn't appeal to me, started an agricultural degree as well, didn't finish that, so I just went back to riding full time, and the more I did it I just realised I wanted to make a career out of it."
Between Tasmanian race meetings, Le Blanc heads back to her home in Glenrowan in north east Victoria and rides regularly at the meetings in the area.
"Especially as an apprentice it can be hard to get rides so I just grab every opportunity I can, the travelling can get a bit taxing sometimes, but I'm lucky I've got a good boss at home. He helps me out as much as he can and if I need a day off he's pretty good about it.
"I'm just happy to see as many spots as I can. It's one of those jobs that can take you all around Australia."
One of those spots this year is King Island where Le Blanc is riding at every meeting during the summer season. She also rode at the Longford New Year's Day meeting where she booted home a wining double.
It's an eight-race card in Launceston on Wednesday night with the first at 18:19, all the action will be on TasracingTV with Duncan Dornauf live hosting.
My best bet for Launceston comes up in race 2, Strawberry Kiss (no. 8), who looks ready to step up to the 2150m; she was doing her best work at the finish when seventh, beaten 1.5 lengths over 1600m in Hobart on 29 December.
