Jockey, Devin Ashby completed a tremendous three- timer at Durbanville on Saturday, winning on Bonanza (14/1), Arctic Ice (9/10) and Power Grid (7/2) at accumulated odds of 127/1! Ashby does not get many opportunities in the saddle to ride a single fancied runner, never mind trebles, so this was a rare and entirely well- deserved success given all the effort he has put in physically and mentally over the past six months.
Former jockey, now trainer Paul Reeves provided the first two winners for Ashby who happens to be his son in law, married to daughter, Stacey. Ashby is a hard-grafting jockey who rides up to 35 horses each morning between 5h30 and 9h45. Devin, who has been receiving mentoring from another former riding legend, Glen Hatt credits both ex jocks for helping revive his fortunes.
“There is not much technically wrong with my riding as such, but I needed to improve my mental approach and Glen has really helped boost my confidence. I am also trying to remain level-headed. Really, I just love to ride! Getting on horses in the morning and working hard is so enjoyable and by riding lots of horses I get physically fitter, too.”
Ashby went practically start to finish on Bonanza to win the opener. “I knew he had a lot of speed, so I had to take the initiative even though we were drawn badly at seven out of eight. He had knocked himself in a previous start so I knew we could scratch out that run, and after a fantastic gallop just over a week ago I went into the race with some confidence.”
The often placed, front-running filly Arctic Ice required good judgement from Ashby to also go all the way. “We’ve fancied her previously and she’s just found one or two too good for her. This time the trick was in pacing it right and not forcing it too soon.”
Arguably Ashby’s best, and certainly bravest, ride was to complete his personal hat-trick on Power Grid, giving the eight-year-old gelding with a weird swirling action the perfect rails-skimming ride to mug Wordsworth on the line. “It’s hectic – he can really swing those legs! I joked with trainer Andries Steyn that he only eventually gave me an opportunity on such an old horse, but it’s worked out and this is my second win on him in under two weeks.’
Prior to these two wins in September, Power Grid had last been sighted in the No 1 box back in mid- July 2018! Ashby reflected, “It helps that his handicap rating has come right down but he is a tricky horse to balance, and you can’t push too hard as he hangs to both the left and right. I tried to ride him with two hands and take the rails gap then became quite hard on him, which was maybe not the right thing as he’s an old horse, but it was getting so close near the finish.”
Every thoroughbred has their quirks and preferences, and Ashby tries to understand their unique characteristics and give them the most suitable ride, be it at morning gallops in Milnerton or when he’s given an opportunity at the races proper. He rides work not only for Reeves, but also the Steyn brothers, Andries and Piet, together with Patrick Kruyer, Vaughan Marshall and Candice Bass.
Ashby is currently riding super-sharp with four wins and 14 places from his last 30 mounts. Those are strong stats that would satisfy even a much higher-ranking jockey, which just shows what can be achieved when opportunity and confidence converge. This is in stark contrast to 2020 when he managed 8 wins from 180 tries, whilst in 2019 his 165 mounts yielded only five victories and in 2018 there were just four salutes from 117 rides.
Ashby recalls riding trebles in the distant past – admittedly a long time ago as an apprentice around 2009 and then also on an adventurous foray overseas to the Pacific Island of New Caledonia in 2014. He has suffered through multiple injuries and mental health setbacks so this past weekend’s successes will lift his spirits and represent a suitable reward for the many hours of dedication he has shown to his chosen, and very demanding, craft.
By building on a sound riding technique, staying fit and, with Reeves and Hatt’s guidance, assertively taking advantage of every opportunity that presents itself, a more buoyant Ashby is poised to experience the best season of his race-riding career.