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A month of milestones for Moodley
Joshua Smith, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk • December 4th, 2025 12:30 pm
Apprentice jockey Triston Moodley. Photo | Peter Rubery (Race Images Palmerston North)
It’s been an eventful year for apprentice jockey Triston Moodley, but it is ending on a high.
The talented rider was sidelined for three months after he sustained a head injury at the Waipa trials in July, but he made a pleasing recovery and has made an instant impact on his return to the track.
The last month has been particularly fruitful for Moodley, who was victorious aboard the Andrew Forsman-trained Force Of Nature in the Listed Legacy Lodge Sprint (1200m), doubling his career stakes tally, and last Friday he recorded his 100th win in the saddle aboard the John and Karen Parsons-trained Lucky Ferrando at Cromwell.
The 24-year-old hoop was rapt to reach the milestone, particularly after a trying few months recuperating from his head injury.
“To get the 100 wins was a peach of a moment,” Moodley said. “Not many apprentices are able to do it. I have gotten a lot of support throughout my career, and I am really glad I could do it.
“It was tough over that injury period and I was just glad to get over the injury, get fit and ready to go again.
“My injury hasn’t played up at all since I have come back, so I am very glad about that. I go for regular check-ups and everything is looking perfect.
“It was quite a serious injury and I was bed-ridden for a couple of weeks. It was quite tough on me, but I am glad to be back now.”
While he has been having plenty of success on the track in the last month, it has also been a big month on a personal front, with Moodley moving south to Christchurch from his previous northern base with trainers Danny Walker and Arron Tata at Byerley Park in South Auckland.
“I can get quite a lot of rides here and I have got a new manager (Andre Neill) as well. It is going great at the moment, I am quite busy,” he said.
Moodley is enjoying his time in Christchurch but said he will continue to be a familiar face in the North Island.
“I will end up basing myself down here, but I will do a lot of travelling up north and to the Central Districts,” he said. “My main goal is to buy a house down here and travel as much as I can.”
Moodley is currently on loan to the New Zealand Equine Academy while freelance riding in the morning for Riccarton trainers, and he said it is a move he is looking to make permanent in the coming months.
“I am currently on loan to the Academy, so I will probably go with them full-time once the three-months are up,” he said. “I am freelancing and doing a couple for the Pitmans, David Walsh, Danny Crozier, and whoever needs help.”
Moodley will add to his growing frequent flyer points this weekend when he returns to Auckland where he has a strong book of rides at Pukekohe on Saturday, including Landlock in the Gr.3 Bonecrusher Stakes (1400m) and Twain in the Gr.3 Concorde Stakes (1200m).
Moodley has a great association with the John Bell-trained Twain, having won four of his five starts on the gelding, and he is hoping to extend their winning sequence this weekend, for which he is a $2.80 favourite.
“I am looking forward to getting back on Twain, it has been a while,” Moodley said. “I thought I would have a good season with him, but with the injury it didn’t work out that way. Hopefully I can keep winning on him.”
Moodley is also upbeat about the prospects of Group One performer Landlock, who is a $4.60 second favourite for the Bonecrusher behind the Stephen Marsh-trained To Cap It All.
“He has drawn three and will probably get a soft run,” Moodley said. “He will go very close in that race, I think he is one of the horses to beat.”
A day prior at his new home track of Riccarton, Moodley will have six rides, and rates the David Walsh-trained Lady Georgiana as his leading chance in the Peninsular Beachfront Resort Mooloolaba Rating 60 (1400m).
“I have been riding her a bit in track work and she has been working well,” he said. “She is a horse that needs everything to go her way, so hopefully that happens in the race, and I think she will be right there in the finish.”
