Oldest Apprentice wins race at 42

[magic_idol]

Apprentice, 42, wins first race
Tuesday July 31, 3:06 PM

Glen Butler, the oldest apprentice jockey in Australia and possibly the world, landed his first winner in the Thangool Cup in central Queensland on Saturday.
Butler, 42, was having only his 12th race ride after being licensed in June when he won the 1600-metre Thangool Cup on the Mick Hicks-trained Umaprince.
Butler, who has a wife, Sandra, and four children aged under 11, first tried his luck to become an apprentice rider when he was with trainer Syd Brown in Sydney in the early 1980s.
However, Butler, who was born at Camden on Sydney's outskirts, confessed he was difficult to control as a young man and soon absconded from Brown to return to his parents' home at Campbelltown, west of Sydney.
"I've always wanted to be a jockey but the early mornings didn't agree with me so I left without telling Syd (Brown) and went home to Mum and Dad in Campbelltown," Butler said.
"That was the biggest regret I've had in my life. It really set me back."
Although Butler had three brothers, Patrick, Brent and Ayn, who all were jockeys, he left Sydney to move to Queensland.
"I decided I wasn't going to make it as a jockey so I came to Queensland and got work with Mick Mair at Caloundra in 1986," he said.
"Ayn was an apprentice with Mick at the time and he used to be the rider of Burglar Of Bamff."
Burglar Of Bamff was one of Queensland's top performers at the time before his career ended in 1992 with 36 wins and 33 placings from 102 starts.
Butler got the hunger back and had another try to become an apprentice jockey when he asked Mair if he would indenture him.
"Mick agreed and we went to Brisbane when Ray Murrihy was the chief steward in Queensland and we asked him about getting a licence to become an apprentice," Butler said.
"Murrihy took one look at me and told me I was wasting my time because I would get too heavy and refused to licence me.
"I applied a few more times to ride in country areas but I couldn't get a licence without becoming an apprentice.
"One time I applied I was 30 and they said I was too old.
"I got a bit disenchanted by all the knockbacks.
"It was a real kick in the guts when they all said I was too old.
"Then when Queensland Racing (QR) replaced the Queensland Principal Club a few years ago and the state government got some control I thought about having another go.
"I was told I could finally get a licence to become an apprentice but only if I could get my weight down to 51kg.
"Peter Smith, who was in charge of the licensing at QR, reckons I'm the oldest apprentice in the world."
Butler decided to have one last crack to gain his licence this year on the urgings of his wife.
"I only took it on after Sandra told me to have another go," he said.
"She said I'd always wanted to ride in races and if I didn't have a go I'd regret it for the rest of my life."

[_ed_]

Good on him!

[magic_idol]

Originally Posted by _ed_

Good on him!

He Got a Standing ovation