Much-loved jockey Justin Potter ends 25-year riding career to pursue training partnership

The Australian

4 days ago

Justin Potter has long been one of the great characters of South Australian racing, and the retiring hoop is excited for the next phase as he turns his hand to full-time training.
Potter, 48, has called time on a 25-year career as a jockey, riding his final race at Balaklava on Wednesday.
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It's a journey that has yielded 1309 winners, three at Group level and seen 'Pottsy' remain a stalwart of SA's jockey ranks since 2000, when he made his debut in the Jamestown Cup aboard Valstocrabar.
A first race win came aboard Bonnie Gollie at Gawler the following month, two years later he was named Dux of the Apprentice Academy in 2002.
Retirement didn't come calling overnight.
Potter still has that innate drive and competitiveness, but when an exciting opportunity arose through a friend, he couldn't knock it back.
'It's been a great career, and very fruitful, but it's time for the next journey,' Potter said.
'David Jolly approached me to come into partnership on the training side of things with him.
'I've probably still got more to give (riding), but an opportunity like this – I can't knock it back.
'With David's knowledge, I think together, we'll make an awesome combination.'
Potter steers home Anecdotal for his last winner at Morphettville earlier this month. Picture: Makoto Kaneko
Potter is hitting the finish line hard, he's scored 100 winners over the past two seasons, including two stakes wins.
'It had a bit of thought. I'm still competitive, I've had a really good twelve months, David has backed me and put me on some nice horses,' he said.
'I will miss a lot of the banter and camaraderie with the boys and girls (jockeys), I am good mates with all of them.
'But it's a great time to step away because I'm still able to ride good work, and feel a horse – rather than being over the hill so to speak.'
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Potter has purchased a 75-acre property at Finniss, and has six to eight horses in work under a dual-license he took out in early 2022.
'I would like to have about 24 yards available, a couple of day yards and spelling yards, so horses that race can go out for the next few days,' he said.
'David has about nine (horses) at the Goolwa property, we'll have a good 12-18 horses in work.
'My daughter and my wife will help out as well, we can get a nice team going and make it profitable hopefully.'
Potter's wife, Katrina, and daughters Lucy and Sophie, have been a huge support.
Lucy rides trackwork, and does eventing, while Sophie is an apprentice jockey to the Phillip Stokes stable.
'Katrina has been amazing, we've have some great memories and there's many more to come,' he said.
'(Lucy) she's probably the smartest one out of all of us, she's going to be a primary school teacher.
'(Sophie) is incredible, hopefully she keeps the Potter name going in the saddle, I'm super proud, she's really put her head down and that's what you've got to do in this game.
'Take the knocks, there's plenty of them, and just work hard.'
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Potter's most cherished moment in racing came this month, when Sophie won on Sun Flipper, a horse he trains, at Murray Bridge.
'That would have to be the best moment, it was pretty emotional, I got a little bit of hayfever that day,' Potter laughed.
As for the best horse he's ridden? A Leon MacDonald-trained filly, who later won a TJ Smith Stakes.
'I've ridden some lovely gallopers, the standout that always come to my mind is a horse called Dilly Dally,' he said.
'What she done was incredible, she got stood on her head at the 800m mark at Cheltenham over 1000m, and picked herself up.
'I half pulled her up but she was all right underneath me and ended up winning by two lengths – she was an amazing horse.'
As Potter strode to the mounting yard for his final ride at Morphettville on Saturday, he was greeted by a guard of honour made up of fellow hoops. It was confirmation of how widely admired Potter is among his peers.
'I just enjoy every moment, I treat people like I would like to be treated,' he said.
'I'm an emotional person, you get the knocks and everything but the excitement, it outweighs everything.
'I was pretty chuffed when I walked out and the cheeky buggers gave me a guard at honour, that was a bit of hayfever again.
'It makes you reflect, you're doing something right to get that respect from people.'