Chef jockeying for a position

Stephanie Olney gives some last-minute advice to 'Sweet Rita' before the chestnut's 1400m race at Arawa Park yesterday. Photo / Stephen Parker

Stephanie Olney is training to be a chef.

But her real love is more on the hoof than a hot grill — her spare mornings are spent track riding for veteran Rotorua trainer Lyn Skinner.

Stephanie was an interested party at Racing Rotorua's Arawa Park winter race meeting yesterday helping Lyn prepare 'Sweet Rita' for the $15,000 race 7 held over 1400m.

The 6-year-old chestnut had three wins over the distance beforehand.

Stephanie has been riding since she "was first able to hop on a horse", she said.

"I've been told to give up cheffing and be a jockey," the 48kg 18-year-old said.

She became interested in racehorses while working for Matamata trainers Tony and Lou Cole.

"They taught me how to ride and I did some preparation work for them.

"I'd absolutely love to ride 'Reety Peets' (her nickname for Sweet Rita)," she said.

Stephanie doesn't find the early morning track rides at Arawa Park too onerous for her late night cheffing stints at the inner city Lone Star Restaurant and Bar.

"There are not a lot of trainers now at Rotorua so we get there at around 7am.

"It's about keeping the horse prepared for race day, and I like to spend the time looking after 'Reety Peets', making sure she is calm.

"I'd absolutely love to ride her, she's only a little girl but she is very strong," she said.

"She's always difficult to ride but we have a good relationship — except when she is getting hit on her stomach by the ice on frosty mornings.

"But you just play it by ear really."

Deep down Stephanie would love it if she could get a proper ride on race day.

"It would be great if someone gave me a (jockey) apprenticeship but it's not like you can go and find one on the internet. It's more about word of mouth."

Trainer Lyn Skinner was hoping for a good result from Sweet Rita, ridden by Rowena Smythe, on the soft track but had to settle for a 10th placing.

"The racing industry is suffering from low stakes and high costs but you can see when the stakes are upped the people will come," she said.