It was a case of women to the fore at Eagle Farm when apprentice Priscilla Schmidt and Gold Coast trainer Kelly Purdy landed their first metropolitan wins.Schmidt, who quit a career as a flight attendant to follow her dream to become a successful jockey, rode her first city winner when Psychodelic scored by a length over Double Ranga in Wednesday's Sky Racing Handicap (1000m).Former jockey Purdy also landed her first city winner as a trainer when Simply Smart led all the way for a 2-3/4-length w
It was a case of women to the fore at Eagle Farm when apprentice Priscilla Schmidt and Gold Coast trainer Kelly Purdy landed their first metropolitan wins.
Schmidt, who quit a career as a flight attendant to follow her dream to become a successful jockey, rode her first city winner when Psychodelic scored by a length over Double Ranga in Wednesday's Sky Racing Handicap (1000m).
Former jockey Purdy also landed her first city winner as a trainer when Simply Smart led all the way for a 2-3/4-length win over Go Amigo in the www.brc.com.au Maiden Handicap (1200m).
Schmidt, 21, was having only her seventh city ride when she was successful on the Ted Harden-trained Psychodelic who was bought at the Gold Coast Ready To Run sales.
Schmidt is maintaining her family bloodlines with her involvement in racing and is indentured to her father, Eagle Farm trainer Dwayne Schmidt who was also a former jockey.
"I had my first race ride at Lismore in December 2009," Schmidt said.
"I was a flight attendant with Jetstar for a year before that.
"It was always my childhood dream to be a flight attendant but after I did it for a year I wanted to follow another dream to become a jockey."
Schmidt has two younger siblings, Blake, 3, and sister, Cassie, 17, who has also signed up to follow the family tradition to ride.
"Cassie is apprenticed to my grandfather Glen Hodge at Port Macquarie and she's about to get her barrier trial licence next week," Schmidt said.
Schmidt rode 75 winners on the provincial circuit before gaining her metropolitan licence.
She doesn't model herself on any particular rider but does admire Kathy O'Hara and former jockey Bernadette Cooper.
"Bernadette has a natter to me every now and then which is good and Kathy also has been a big help during my career," Schmidt said.
During her two-year riding career, Schmidt is thankful she's never had a race fall although she has been tossed a number of times in trackwork.
The worst of her track spills resulted in a broken wrist in September 2009 which forced her to the sidelines for two months.
"I've still got a pin and plate from that fall and I probably won't get them out until I finish riding," she said.
Purdy quit a successful career as a jockey to become a horse chiropractor but it wasn't long before she ventured into training.
"I always wanted to stay involved with horses and was studying to be a chiropractor when my ex-partner gave me this horse to train," Purdy said.
"I rode over 300 winners as a jockey in Victoria before I came to Queensland and Simply Smart is only my third winner since I got my trainer's licence."