New Zealand’s newly-crowned champion apprentice jockey, Tayla Mitchell, is bidding farewell to the local racing industry to pursue a promising career in Australia.
Mitchell secured the title with a slender one-win lead over her closest rival, Kelsey Hannan, but had already set her sights on Melbourne before her triumph.
She faced a tense suspension during the final week of the season and couldn’t bear to watch the races live as Hannan narrowed the gap.
On arriving in Melbourne, Mitchell received an avalanche of congratulatory messages, learning of her victory two hours later.
“The wifi on the plane wasn’t working, so I couldn’t check the results, but I didn’t want to watch any of the races all week,” she revealed to the NZ Herald.
Mitchell, the partner of talented jockey Wiremu Pinn, sees her future and ambitions in Victoria.
Starting with track work, she plans to build her career and eventually obtain her jockey license in Australia.
Meanwhile, Wiremu Pinn’s move to Victoria is also set to become permanent, as he eagerly embraces new challenges and opportunities.
