History was always going to be made at Doomben on Wednesday, the only thing to be decided was by who.
But it is Angela Jones who is being feted as the first woman to win the Brisbane Jockeys’ Premiership after surviving a challenge from Emily Lang.
The best Jones could manage at the season-ending metropolitan meeting was a couple of second placings, leaving her on 64 wins, which was enough for a two-win victory over good friend Lang, who also went winless.
“Obviously it’s been a battle for the last couple of months, but really the last month it has gotten really close and it’s hard to get excited because the most emotion you feel is relief,” Jones said.
“I’m pretty happy it’s over and really glad I’ve come out on top, but I think I’ll be able to appreciate it more tomorrow.”
The Queensland native improved on her fourth placing in last year’s premiership, when she rode 51 winners to finish 56.5 wins behind runaway winner James Orman, and said his departure to Hong Kong mid-season opened the premiership door.
“I never would have dreamed I’d be fighting out a premiership at this stage in my career and I definitely didn’t think I would be at the start of the year,” she said.
“I didn’t really think I was a hope, I just wanted to improve on my last season, but then just how the year played out with Jimmy Orman going away, obviously, we were in with a chance then and it’s probably been in the making for the last couple of months.
“That’s been my goal and it’s really good to pull it all off.”
Jones was one of two women to win metropolitan premierships in 2024/25 with Rochelle Milnes taking out the Adelaide title.
Milnes took her season tally to 48 with a quartet of winners at Morphettville on Saturday, which afforded her an eight-win victory over Taylor Johnstone, making her the first apprentice to win the award since Jamie Melham in 2012/13.
Established names were to the fore in other states with James Mcdonald claiming a seventh-straight title in New South Wales.
McDonald went winless at Warwick Farm on Wednesday, but finished with 83 winners in Sydney, enough for a nine-win triumph over Jason Collett, who closed out the season with three winners on Wednesday.
Blake Shinn reclaimed the Melbourne premiership, two years after winning the award for the first time, when he defeated Craig Williams 74 wins to 67.
William Pike did not ride at Wednesday’s Belmont meeting but had a 15th Perth Jockeys’ Premiership in the bag with 106.5 wins, a tally that also carried him to victory in the national metropolitan award.
Anthony Darmanin is again Tasmania’s leading rider, Jarrod Todd won the Northern Territory’s metropolitan award, while honours were shared by Nick Heywood, Jean Van Overmeire and Rebecca Bronett Prag in the ACT.
