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Apprentice Cassey Martinan is staying grounded after recent success at regional tracks around the State.
Cassey Martinan has rode winners at Broome, Port Hedland, Bunbury and Kalgoorlie in the past month, as she looks to continue her form taking strides towards getting her metro Saturday licence.
Saluting on Deep Point for Daryn Pateman at Broome on June 15, Martinan secured the last win required to out-ride her country claim.
"It's really satisfying crossing the post on a winner and doing it for such good trainers and people makes it even better," she said.
A fourth-year apprentice, Martinan says Racing WA's Apprentice Jockey Training Program (AJTP) is a perfect opportunity for young jockeys to take their time learning the ropes and to keep improving.
"Jockey coaches Peter Hall and John Claite have been a massive help and are always at every meeting helping us apprentices with their expertise," she said.
"So has Racing Training Manager Sharyn Lancaster, who helps out with everything we need, and we can always just give her a call."
Sharyn Lancaster has watched Martinan's growth through the AJTP and looks forward to what the future holds for her.
"Cassey is very dedicated to her profession and is always striving to perfect her craft," she said.
Martinan's first race rode was for host trainer SJ Miller aboard Irritable Rodnee at Belmont, saying the gelding was the ideal horse to take her around for her first ride.
"I sat three-wide with no cover in my first race which wasn't ideal, but a few starts later Irritable Rodnee ended up being my first winner at Ascot," she said.
Martinan didn't have a racing background before joining the industry, just a passion for horses, when she found herself working as a stable hand after finishing high school.
"I had no idea what racing was, but I was curious, and I loved horses," she said.
"I moved to a stable with Adam Fairey, a few people told me to consider becoming an apprentice, I did for some time until I thought I might as well and signed up."
Competing in the National Apprentice Race Series the past two years in Darwin and Adelaide, Martinan relished the opportunity to experience new tracks and compete and learn from interstate jockeys.
With a passion for galloping and a love for the industry Martinan, is excited for what's to come in her last year of the program and post-apprenticeship.
"Everyone in the industry is really helpful and you make a lot of friends on the way, I'd like to keep chipping off winners and making good connections," she said.
