Talented Darwin apprentice Jade Hampson celebrates 50th win
She only started her career in the saddle in April last year, but Darwin apprentice Jade Hampson celebrated her 50th career win at Fannie Bay on Saturday.
The 19-year-old, who had the distinction of winning her first race in her debut appearance when she saluted on Pointo’s Pick for Top End trainer and her master Tayarn Halter, achieved the milestone in the last race on the seven-event program.
Partnering Neil Dyer’s Hettinger ($2.90) over 1600m (0-58), Hampson jumped well from the inside gate and was happy to settle in second place on the fence behind Boogie Nights along the back straight before making his move down the side passing the 600m.
Holding a handy two lengths by that stage, Hettinger skipped away to lead by three lengths at the 400m approaching the home turn before kicking clear in the straight to win by 6.13 lengths to make it back to back wins for the four-year-old gelding.
Chris Pollard’s $10 bookmaker hope All Hard Wood (Adam Nicholls), who was well adrift in fifth place along the back straight, ran home strongly for second from Gary Clarke’s $2.60 favourite Bel Suono (Jarrod Todd), who gave the leaders too much start despite sitting in third place before mounting an unsuccessful bid to catch the impressive Hettinger at the final bend.
The son of I Am Invincible had gone winless in 16 previous starts before breaking the ice a fortnight ago over 1400m (BM54) at Alice Springs when Dyer made a pit stop in the Red Centre en route to Darwin from Kyneton.
Hettinger was victorious by 3.3 lengths that day at Pioneer Park and definitely caught the eye, so success a second time didn’t necessarily come as a surprise despite contesting a 1600m race for the first time as Dyer kicked off his 16th straight visit to Darwin while preparing for yet another Cup Carnival campaign.
Dyer is a three-time winner of the Darwin Cup having won the NT’s biggest race with Hawks Bay (2011 and 2012) and Royal Request (2017).
Hampson is among a handful of new apprentices who have hit the ground running in the NT since making their debuts in the past 12 months, but she has clearly made the biggest impact.
She has tasted success regularly in Darwin and Alice Springs, and so far this season she has booted 11 winners home at Fannie Bay and 16 winners home at Pioneer Park.
Having also tasted success for the Halter stable in WA, Hampson headed to SA during the spring last year to further her education under the guidance of Adelaide trainers Richard and Chantelle Jolly and got amongst the money for various stables.
Hampson has also managed to celebrate victory in her one and only appearance in Melbourne.
Representing the NT during the 2023 National Apprentice Racing Series, the teenager had the opportunity to ride in two heats at her Brisbane debut at Eagle Farm on March 29 before heading to Victoria for the first time to ride in two further heats on the Sandown Hillside course on April 19.
It was in Melbourne where Hampson – riding in the first heat – dead-heated for first on The Maggstar ($6) for Cranbourne trainer Tetyana Furdetska along with Mothereens ($26) from the Seymour stable of Lesia Masnyj.
The result continued Hampson’s extraordinary record of winning a race in her first appearance at a racecourse after achieving the feat at Darwin, Alice Springs, Broome and Kununurra in WA, and Jamestown in SA.
On March 4, Hampson rode in both heats during the Darwin leg of the NARS and although not riding for points – Dakota-Lee Gillett from Alice Springs was representing the NT – she had success when Gary Clarke’s Thunder Peak just pipped Chris Nash’s Archie James, ridden by fellow Darwin apprentice Emma Lines.
On April 30, Hampson, who has also landed winning doubles and trebles in Darwin or Alice Springs and still claims 2kg, posted her biggest ever win when she got the cash in the $110,000 Alice Springs Cup (2000m) on the Dick-Leech-trained Write Your Name.
At the end of the Alice Springs Cup Carnival, which comprised of five meetings, she was the leading rider with eight wins.
It hasn’t always been peaches and cream for the young hoop after injuring her ankle when dislodged from her mount shortly after the start when she fronted for her second race meeting – last year’s Anzac Day program at Fannie Bay – which meant six weeks on the sidelines.
And wouldn’t you know it, Hampson rode a winning a double in her comeback at Darwin on June 11.
She heads to Alice Springs on Sunday for the five-race meeting at Pioneer Park where she will partner Liberty Blue (Race 1), Speed Wheel (Race 2), Sienna’s Choice (Race 3) and Bon Bandeau (Race 4).