Apprentice jockey Tayla Mitchell put the experience she has gained from recent trips to ride in the South Island to good effect on Sunday when she claimed her first winner at Wingatui.

Mitchell made full use of her 4kg claim as she guided topweight So Much Mour (NZ) (Azamour) to an impressive front-running victory for trainers Kelvin and Aimee Tyler in the opening event on the card.

Mitchell was quick to thank the father and daughter training partnership who had offered her several mounts to get her riding career underway despite her being based in the Waikato where she is apprenticed to her mother, Tarissa MacDonald.

“That was such a good feeling to get my first win and get the monkey off the back as I had had quite a few placings without being able to get across the line first,” Mitchell said.

“Kelvin and Aimee have been so good to me as when I was starting off Mum was trying to get me rides and when she tried down in the South Island, they were one of the first to put me on.

“It has been a real learning curve riding down in the south compared to up north, but I was kind of confident I had a chance on So Much Mour as he is a pretty good horse on wet tracks and had won two starts ago.

“I just tried to do my best on him and it is so satisfying for the hard work I have been putting in to pay off like it did.”

With mother Tarissa heavily involved in the thoroughbred industry and father Todd Mitchell an established star in the harness code, it was no surprise that Mitchell would find her way into the racing game although she admits her parents encouraged her to find her own path in whatever endeavour she wanted to pursue.

“When I was at school, I didn’t know what I wanted to do although I knew I really didn’t want to be there,” she said.

“Mum and Dad did try and discourage me a little about getting into racing but wanted me to find something I was passionate about.

“I tried riding trackwork for Emma-Lee and David Browne as well as Emily Farr and I just fell in love with it.

“My weight is really good as I walk at around 51kgs without any trouble and Emily said I should try to get my apprentice license and it has just worked out from there.

“I guess coming from a family that has racing in the blood helps and I did Kidz Kartz with Dad for a few years before I started showjumping so that background has really helped me as well.”

Mitchell is keen to see where her riding career can take her but for the time being her focus is getting more rides and more victories under her belt.

“I would like to make a career as a jockey but I know it will require dedication and lots of hard work,” she said.

“My goal right now is to just try and improve my riding so people have confidence to put me on their horses.

“I’m lucky in that my boyfriend (Wiremu Pinn) is also a jockey and he has been good at helping me improve my style and advising me where I can improve.

“If I could outride my claim during my apprenticeship, that would be a good achievement and after that I don’t know where racing could take me but it will be a great journey.”