WANDERSON D’avila may not be a well-known name around the majority of the state’s jockeys’ rooms, but the Brazilian-born hoop is now making his identity felt, branching into the North Coast riding ranks.
He, along with his wife Sharlee, who is also a trainer and keen industry participant, operate a small stable from the Coffs Harbour racecourse.
Sharlee opened her winning NSW coast account as a trainer when four-year-old Rothsay gelding Raucous took his 1450-metre maiden at the feature Anzac Day meet at Kempsey.
Not to be outdone, husband Wanderson followed closely when riding to win aboard the Terry Evans prepared Not Doubtful at Port Macquarie.
“I rode nine winners in the first three months of being here,” said Wanderson who has been based at Coffs Harbour since December.
The jockey is a willing traveller, who takes rides at the Gold Coast in Queensland, to the north west and into the Hunter Valley.
“I do a lot of miles; one week I went to Lismore, Gunnedah, Taree, as well as riding trackwork for Terry Evans at Tuncurry, which I do once a week.”
Prior to arriving in Australia in 2010, Wanderson experienced riding in North America – mainly in Florida, before riding on the famous training grounds at Lambourne in England for seven years where he achieved a group 2 winner.
From there he came to Australia, settling into Northern Queensland where he became stable jockey for Atherton trainer Roy Chillemi and for whom he rode over 75 winners.
It was there he met Atherton trainer Sharlee, and they married at the Atherton Turf Club’s racecourse winning post at Tolga in February last year.
Professionally the pair also found 6great success with Gundy Star, a Sharlee trained gelding, whom Wanderson rode seven of his eight wins in the region.
A seven-year-old stallion by Falvelon, Gundy Star was brought down with them to Coffs Harbour, as well as acquiring stable youngster Kissaykiss, a filly by the Glenlogan Park, Queensland, based Rothesay, Glow Lion Go, and Bush Bandicoot.
Riding 36 winners last season, Wanderson regularly rides for a number of trainers including successful Coffs Harbour conditioner Brett Bellamy and Terry Evans at Tuncurry.
Myboycharlie heads to Bowness
CITY wins by three-year-olds Good Time Charlie at Warwick Farm, and Champagne Charlee at Eagle Farm recently is good news for southern district breeders, as both horses’ sire, Myboycharlie, has been relocated to continue his Australian stud duties at John and Helen North’s Bowness Stud.
The addition has boosted the Young district’s sire roster which also includes Frankel’s stakes winning three-quarter-brother Bullet Train, and prolific winner-getting sire Bon Hoffa.
Myboycharlie is the sire of almost 250 winners around the world, which is headed by three times group 1 winning Australian star Jameka, who is currently the world’s highest rated staying mare, with earnings of $4.8 million.
Other Australian racing stars includes Peggy Jean winner of the ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes-G1, and Group winners Charlie Boy, Blueberry Hill, and Zelady’s Night Out.
Previously at Vinery Stud, Scone, Myboycharlie’s new home at Bowness is suitably placed in view of attracting Victorian breeders to use the Danehill line sire.
I do a lot of miles; one week I went to Lismore, Gunnedah, Taree.
- Jockey Wanderson D’avila
Not only is Myboycharlie siring winners in Australia, but is northern hemisphere performers include French racing sensation Sistercharlie, who took the group 3 Prix Penelope at Saint Cloud, France, recently. The three-year-old filly has won three of her first four starts.
A son of outstanding but short-lived Western Australian sire Danetime, Myboycharlie himself was a European group 1 juvenile winning his first three appearances culminating in the Prix Morny-G1 at Deauville, France.
Meanwhile Myboycharlie’s new stable companion at Bowness, the GB bred Bullet Train was represented with his first Australian bred winner when his juvenile daughter Egyptian Bullet convincingly won her maiden race at Wangaratta recently.
A two-year-old winner and stakes winning three-year-old, Bullet Train, by the great Sadler’s Wells, is a three-quarter-brother to world champion racehorse Frankel, who’s now a budding champion UK sire.
To cover his fifth successive season of mares this year, Bullet Train had his first crop colts sell to $150,000, while his fillies went to $110,000.
Cessnock moves cup dates
CESSNOCK races, home to the Wine Country Race Club, has rescheduled its feature events in mid-June and July, to October and November, which will take advantage of spring weather.
Relocating from a Monday to Friday meets – to entice added patrons having a long weekend in the Hunter Valley away – the $32,000 Jungle Juice Cup is now scheduled on October 13, while the $30,000 Cessnock Cup is on November 24.
First for Declaration Of War
IT is interesting to note that Coolmore Stud’s US-bred Declaration Of War was represented with his first northern hemisphere-bred winner when juvenile colt Declarationoflove won at Windsor in England recently.
The group 1 winner by Danzig’s War Front, Declaration Of War will be represented with his first Australian juveniles next season.