Apprentice jockey Tui Miles saluted the judge for the first time on Saturday after she rode Seconds Out to win at Tauranga for Matamata trainer Iain Marks.
"It was huge to finally get that first win and get it done," Miles said. "It was a good opportunity and I have to thank Iain a lot for giving me the ride on that horse."
She was confident of Seconds Out's chances in the 1400m race after their runner-up performance at Avondale on June 9.
"He'd had six wins and I thought he could do it and that he'd be a good chance to get my first win," she said.
"Iain was rapt with the win and thought I rode the race to the best of my ability and that I gave the horse every opportunity I could."
Miles, 22, is apprenticed to Matamata trainers Peter and Jessica Brosnan and said her employers were delighted for her, despite the success relegating their stable runner Good Vibes to a narrow second.
"I had ridden that horse (Good Vibes) on Wednesday at Counties for a nice third. I had the opportunity to ride him again on Saturday, but I took the ride on Seconds Out. They were absolutely rapt for me, Jessica was even crying a little bit."
Fellow apprentice Shaun McKay took the ride on Good Vibes to finish second, while Alyssa Schwerin rode Critics Choice into third, giving the apprentices a trifecta in the race.
Miles is in her second season of riding and said she has come a long way since joining the Brosnan stable four years ago.
"When I moved out of home and moved to Waikato with my partner, I needed a job and the only qualification I had was being able to ride a horse," she said.
"I did a small stint with Phil Stevens, just riding his breakers and pre-trainers, but when I got to Pete and Jess' I was pretty green. Anything above half-pace and I thought I was bolting."
Miles is hoping to take advantage of the absence of many of the North Island's senior jockeys over the coming months.
"This winter is really my opportunity to get established while the senior riders are on holiday, along with my claim being of even more benefit on the heavy tracks," she said.
"I'm going to take every opportunity I can. If I can just out-ride my four kilo claim and keep grinding from there and work my way up the jockeys' premiership it would be nice."
