Pat Ritter. Books

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Chapter 2
After two weeks travelling by train Desi with Mr A E Mayo arrived at the stables in Melbourne. ‘We’re here.’ Mr A E Mayo said to Desi. ‘You’ll bunk with the others down at the stables.’ He left Desi to find his own way to the stables.
Carrying his luggage Desi walked toward the stables. ‘What’s that noise?’ Desi said to himself. Closer he walked to the entrance; a loud whinny sound plus screams from a horse came from within the stable complex. Desi entered the stables with caution. ‘Stop flogging the horse’. Desi screamed at an attendant who held tight reins of a horse. Horse reared up on its hind legs striking out with its front roofs. Desi dropped his luggage at the entrance to the stable, walked slowly toward the attendant who held onto both reins of the horse. ‘Give me the reins.’ Desi instructed. Attendant gladly handed Desi both reins. ‘Steady boy.’ Desi spoke in a low tone placed a hand to the horse’s forehead. ‘Steady boy’. Desi whispered to the horse. The horse stood still, bowed his head. Desi walked closer; his mind focused on soothing the horse. Rubbing the horse’s neck, the horse settled. ‘What’s up boy?’ Desi asked the horse. As if to answer, the horse whinnied to Desi’s kindness; rubbed against his hand.
Mr A E Mayo walked up to Desi. ‘You’ve been introduced to Lord Nolan.’ Desi continued stroking Lord Nolan’s forehead.
‘A beautiful horse Mr A E Mayo. A beautiful horse’. Desi said with pride. Never in his life had he witnessed such a horse. Big black. Powerful muscles. Kind face. Desi noted.
‘My brother Bob owns him. He is the reason why I visited Coongoola to work out what we should do with Lord Nolan. He is a three-quarter brother to Lord Cardigan who died. Bob wants me to have this fellow ready to win the Melbourne Cup this year. What do you think?’ Mr A E Mayo asked Desi.
Thoughts rushed through his mind. His answer direct, ‘Lord Nolan will win this year’s Melbourne Cup with the right jockey.’ Desi replied with confidence.
‘Would you be the right jockey?’
‘You bet. I could ride this fellow.’ Desi’s smile told his answer.
‘You’ll be his jockey, stable attendant plus anything else the horse desires. Lord Nolan is your horse to take care of Desi.’ Mr A E Mayo stated loud enough for all to hear.
‘Thank you, Mr A E Mayo. I will take good care of the horse. Where is his stall?’ Desi asked.
‘First on the left. You understand; you clean his stall, brush him, feed him, water him, clean his hooves, tend to him as your own horse.’ Mr A E Mayo instructed Desi.
‘I’ll take great care of Joker. As if he was my own horse.’

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‘Who is Joker?’
‘I’ve named Lord Nolan ‘Joker’. You like your new name boy?’ Desi said to the horse. Rubbed his hand over the horse’s forehead. Lord Nolan whinnied, shook his head up and down in agreeance. Mr A E Mayo left the stables.
Desi settled into stable life better than expected. His daily routine to care for ‘Joker’ in everyway possible. Desi’s foreman left him in total care of the horse. Before Desi arrived, staff did not want to tend to Lord Nolan because of his behaviour which was different to other horses. Other horses did as they were told, led easy, no misbehaviour. Lord Nolan difficult to handle for any handler, even the foreman, until Desi arrived. ‘Joker’ became Desi’s total responsibility. No one complained.
‘How is Joker coming along?’ Mr A E Mayo asked Desi one morning after Desi rode ‘Joker’ trackwork.
‘Mr A E Mayo. I have never ridden a horse this tough before. His movement, speed, everything about him is special.’
‘Apart from riding at the Picnic Races, have you ever ridden in a thoroughbred race?’
‘No. Only when you saw me ride at Coongoola.’
‘You’re going to need education about riding in a horse race; tactics; speed; knowledge of other jockeys; horses plus many other things to remember.’
‘I’ll do anything you want Sir.’ Desi answered with confidence.
‘I’ve chosen three different jockeys who ride for me. They will each teach you lessons about being a jockey. Much different to Picnic Races when you won on instinct and talent.’ Mr A E Mayo instructed. ‘In the mean-time continue what you’ve been doing. No doubt you have settled into the stables working closely with other staff members. I’ll arrange you meet one jockey at a time for your education.’ Mr A E Mayo left the stables.

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Over the next month Desi worked with three senior jockeys who rode in most races. His time spent with each one gave him skills he never would have imagined. At night-time he saddled a bale of hay, swung astride the bale pretending to ride ‘Joker’ in a horse race followed instructions from his three senior jockeys. His mind focused on time, balance, patience, visualising other horses in a race. Desi practiced these skills until his mind and body totally exhausted.
After being coached by these three senior jockeys Desi’s confidence bubbled from his body. His skills improved in everyway possible to tell himself he was ready for the real thing. Surprised one morning Mr A E Mayo approached Desi in the stables, ‘Do you think you’re ready to ride in a race?’ Desi nodded his head with glee. A lump formed in his throat. An opportunity to show his skills he had learned since he arrived at the stables.
Desi’s first race on a small racetrack on the outskirts of Melbourne. Desi to ride Red Shirt, a horse which won three races. Night before the race Desi studied each horse in the race to compare how his mount Red Shirt would race. His confidence grew once he read Red Shirt drew barrier number five in a ten-horse race.
Before Red Shirt was nominated for this race Desi had ridden him a couple of times in trackwork. Red Shirt a sprinter over four furlongs. Not in the same class as his horse ‘Joker’ who Desi realised a long-distance horse. This did not mean Red Shirt was a dud horse, he had won three races prior to Desi riding him.

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Ten horses lined up at the starting line. A rope held in front of the horses made a barrier. Red Shirt stood still; ears pricked for the barrier to rise. Desi grabbed hold of both reins, a handful of Red Shirt’s mane; barrier lifted, horses raced in a straight line from the barrier to a bend into the straight to the winning post. Desi allowed Red Shirt to find his feet, steadied him, balanced the horse into a sprint with the other horses.
Red Shirt sprinted to the front. Desi focused on keeping Red Shirt balanced around the bend, winning post a hundred yards in front. Desi looked left then right to sight no other horse. At fifty-yard mark Desi rode Red Shirt hands and heels for home winning by ten lengths ahead of the second horse.
Returning to the saddling enclosure Mr A E Mayo patted him on the shoulder after he dismounted from Red Shirt. ‘Great ride Desi. Congratulations’. Desi nodded unsaddled his horse.
Returning to the stables after the races everyone congratulated Desi on a wonderful ride. ‘You were never going to be beaten.’ One of his fellow workers stated patting Desi on the shoulder. A stroke of gratitude.
‘I did what Mr A E Mayo told me to do. Leave the barrier safe, let him settle, take him to the front, kick him home.’ Desi explained with a smile across his face. Desi slept well; the race repeated over and over in his mind.
Before daylight, the following morning Desi cleaned Joker’s stall, brushed him, saddled him for his daily exercise. Mr A E Mayo walked up to Desi, ‘Looks good Lord Nolan, or Joker. You are doing a fine job Desi. Instead of working him on the track this morning would you take him with the other horses to the beach for exercise. Salt-water should keep him fresh.’ He instructed Desi.

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Desi always showed courtesy and discipline with everything he did. Working at the beach not only helped Joker to feel free, also, helped Desi with swimming in salt-water. Sand on the horse’s roofs helped each horse with cushioning of their roofs instead of beating against hard track daily in the work. After a couple of hours Desi returned Joker to his stall.
Over the following couple of weeks Desi rode in five races on country tracks close to Melbourne. Different horses gave him an opportunity to determine the best way for the horse to do their best in a race. Mr A E Mayo attended these race meetings. After each race ride provided positive feedback to Desi on his ride. Personal experience of riding in a race needed for Desi to work harder at his craft.
Time for Joker to enter the races. Lord Nolan in a maiden race at Flemington over six furlongs. Lord Nolan, three years old needed to race this distance if he were to enter 1908 Melbourne Cup over two miles. His breeding, Lord Nolan should perform well over two miles.
Desi tried to settle his nerves before Mr A E Mayo lifted Desi on top of Lord Nolan. ‘I’ll try my best for you Sir.’ Desi told his master before leaving the saddling enclosure. Lord Nolan ready to start in his first race. Over the past couple of weeks Desi trialled Lord Nolan against horses of greater racing experience. One morning Lord Nolan beat Red Shirt over four furlongs in quick time. Desi satisfied he and Joker were ready to race.

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Lord Nolan drew outside barrier in a ten-horse field. When the barrier lifted, horses raced, Lord Nolan settled at the tail of the field. Desi settled Lord Nolan into the running lane on the outside of two other horses. Desi knew Joker would sprint fast over the final four furlongs because only the week before beating Red Shirt over the same distance.
Three furlongs to the finish line Desi shouted to Joker, ‘let’s go boy.’ Joker sprinted past each horse in the race to win by five lengths. Desi could not wipe the smile from his face when he led Joker to the saddling enclosure.
‘Great ride Desi.’ His trainer declared while Desi unsaddled the horse. ‘You’ll ride him in the Derby.’ Desi carried his saddle to be weighed in declared ‘correct weight’. Desi’s confidence soared with the thought of Joker racing in the Derby.
‘You’re to travel with the horse to Sydney for three-year-old Derby racing against the best three-year-old horses in Australia.’ Mr A E Mayo told Desi on return to the stables later. ‘You rode the perfect race today. I’m proud of you.’ Desi could not believe only a few months before he had no idea how his life would be like until his chance meeting with Mr A E Mayo. Desi could not believe his luck and good fortune.
Desi accompanied Lord Nolan with another strapper in a wagon on the train to Sydney. They walked the horse from the railway station to stables near Randwick Racecourse. Owner of the stables, a local thoroughbred horse trainer showed Desi in which stall Lord Nolan would be housed for the duration of his stay. Stable hand accommodation set above the horse stalls. Desi fitted into his new surroundings. They had bought Lord Nolan’s feed with them. They needed for nothing.

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Morning of Australia Derby commenced with a clear blue sky. Desi rose early to feed and water Joker. ‘How’re you today. Feel good boy?’ Desi asked Joker when he placed his feed into his feed bucket. Joker whinnied to answer Desi. The horse was ready to race. Desi cleaned Joker’s stable, refreshed his water, brushed him down after Joker finished eating.
‘Right for today?’ Desi heard Mr A E Mayo’s voice.
‘You bet Sir. Joker’s the best I’ve ever seen him.’ Desi remarked on finishing his work.
‘We’d better walk him over to the race-track. I always like to be early. Gives the horse plenty of time to settle before the race. How are you feeling? Big event. You nervous Desi?’
‘No Sir. No different to riding in the Picnic Races at Coongoola.’ Desi smiled. Desi placed a halter on Joker, threw a dust cover over the horse’s body, led him from the stables.
Selecting the stall allocated to Joker he fastened leads from Joker’s halter to side bars. Joker stood gazing around at the gathering crowd, a horse on either side. Totally relaxed. Desi looked up from settling Joker when he heard a voice, ‘Desi Whiteman. Haven’t seen you since ‘Tilbaroo Station’’. Desi looked around to find a tall, trick set man standing in front of the stalls.