ALL 19-year-old Charlotte Murrell has wanted to do most of her life is ride horses.

She began pony-clubbing and showjumping four or five years ago on an ex-racehorse owned by her mother, Amanda.

The galloper, Kay Bea’s Lad, was trained at Armidale by Frank Tanner and won a couple of races.

Kay Bea’s Lad didn’t do too well at the track, but became the perfect companion for Charlotte.

“Mum said, if I wanted to start riding horses, I’d have to learn to ride him,” Charlotte smiled.

“I did a bit of showjumping with him, and later mum bought me a little stockhorse.”

Charlotte is now taking the next step – or stride, to use racing parlance.

And, if all goes to plan, she’ll be riding thoroughbreds in races early next year.

Charlotte, from Uralla near Armidale, worked in Walcha as a stablehand for about a year.

She then decided she was ready for trackwork and possibly race-riding.

Last year, she signed on as a pre-apprentice with former Moree trainer Peter Sinclair, who’s now based at Murwillumbah.

Pre-apprentice Charlotte Murrell hopes to start riding in barrier trials later this year.

Charlotte has close ties to Moree.

Her second-cousin, Tony McCosker, was Peter Sinclair’s right-hand man for many years, and her grandfather, Mick McCosker, was a well-known horseman who drove livestock around the district for decades.

Racing NSW apprentices’ mentor, Sophie Young, came on board and arranged a meeting between Charlotte and Sinclair.

At the time, Sinclair was unaware of Charlotte’s close ties to Moree and his old friend and colleague, Tony McCosker.

“I wanted to start riding and mum wanted me to be somewhere I could learn. She said Peter Sinclair would be the best person for that,” Charlotte said.

Charlotte last year turned up at Sutton Park, the training, breeding and spelling farm Sinclair now runs for Mark Sowerby.

“I’m at Pete’s at Murwillumbah, and I’ve learned a lot already. I‘m really enjoying it; I love it,” Charlotte said.

Peter Sinclair, Amee Hobday, and Sinclair’s pre-apprentice Charlotte Murrell at Moree racecourse recently.

She still has plenty to learn, but her heart – and bloodlines – says she’ll go a long way.

“Hopefully, I’ll start riding in trials this year,” Charlotte said.

“At the moment, I’m riding between five and eight horses each morning in trackwork. We’ve got 20 yearlings coming through and I’ve been riding those at the farm, and they’ll start working at the track soon.”

Sinclair couldn’t believe just how small the world can be at times, when Sophie Young approached him about giving Charlotte a start.

“Charlotte came to me about 10 months ago, wanting to be an apprentice jockey,” Sinclair said.

“Nowadays, they become pre-apprentices until all the trial requirements are completed. Once they ride in a race, they officially become an apprentice jockey.

“Sophie reached out to me about taking on Charlotte, so she came over and we met. Strangely enough, it turns out she’s Tony McCosker’s cousin and grand-daughter of Mick McCosker,” Sinclair said.

“Mick drove livestock around the Moree district for as long as I can remember, and also worked on the council for years.

“Tony McCosker was my stable foreman for many years. He was a good mate and an exceptional horseman.

“Now Charlotte’s here at Sutton Farm – it’s a small world,” he grinned.

Sinclair knows a good rider when he sees one, and he’s confident Charlotte has the makings to be up there with best.

“Charlotte has improved out of sight since she’s been with us,” Sinclair said.

“She already is a very good rider, but I think she’s going to be a very good apprentice.

“She’ll start riding in barrier trials around Christmas time and then it will be a few months before she starts riding in races.

“There’s still a while to go, but all the signs are there she’ll do exceptionally well,” he said.

Words and Images: Bill Poulos