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By Ray Hickson

It’s not quite the way he wanted to bring his career in the saddle to an end but Danny Beasley is ready to focus on training.

This Saturday at Wodonga, where his career started in 1992, was meant to be Beasley’s farewell but the 49-year-old requires more surgery for facial injuries sustained in a trackwork incident last week so has called time on being a jockey a little earlier than planned.

However, in the absence of an official farewell he still goes out a winner as his final race ride was a victory on Dilution at Narrandera on June 15.

Danny Beasley wins on Dilution at Narrandera on June 15 in what was his final race ride. (Pic: Kylie Shaw/Trackpix)

“It’s been a passion of mine to train and something I’ve always wanted to do and now it has come to fruition,’’ Beasley said.

“It would have been nice to finish with a meeting somewhere but that’s our game, it’s a unique game, and it’s just one of those things.

“I’m very comfortable with being finished but it would have been nice to finish on a different note.

“As it’s worked out the timing is okay because it was only a couple of weeks (earlier than planned). If it was a career ending injury, I’ve seen people throughout my career who have had those scenarios and it’s a real struggle for them.

“I’m very aware that I’ve been lucky I can finish on my terms albeit not the perfect scenario.”

Beasley rode in over 15,000 races and collected 1877 winners including 14 at Group 1 level in Australia highlighted by Grand Armee’s Doncaster Mile win of 2003.

He won six Group 1s on Gai Waterhouse’s former star including the famous Queen Elizabeth Stakes of 2004 where he upstaged Lonhro’s farewell.

As he reflected on his career in the saddle Beasley said the Doncaster was one of three moments that stand out.

“All I ever wanted to do as a kid was win a Wagga Cup so when I was able to do that (in 2001 on Regal Touch) it was special,’’ he said.

“Grand Armee’s Doncaster always stands out to me as the highlight. Gai was such an influence on my career and was so supportive of me and it felt like that day I paid her back a bit.

“It’s a race that always sits with me as being the most significant.

“And the Singapore Gold Cup on Lim’s Lightning. There was a real backstory to that horse, the effort to get that horse to the race and get him to win over 2000m was phenomenal.”

A horse called Tropical Breeze gave Beasley his first winner as a trainer when the filly, who was passed on to him by Mark Newnham, won at Wagga back in January.

To make that special moment complete, he also rode the three-year-old to victory.

He’s only had a few runners to date, and has around four horses currently in work with a few more in pre-training, but now that his focus is completely on training he’s eager to build his numbers and ultimately be sending horses to Sydney.

“I want to make an impact at whatever level I can,” he said.

“I was born and bred down here, the Riverina has been in my heart my whole life and it just drew me back.

“I want to be successful for sure and as the opportunities come hopefully I can make the most of them and build a successful business.

“I want to be putting a few on the truck and sending them up the highway that’s for sure.”

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