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By Ray Hickson

It’s never easy to leave home at 17 but apprentice Jett Newman says it will prove to be one of the smartest moves she’s made as it has given her riding career the best possible start.

The daughter of former jockey, and trainer, Mitch Newman has made a fast start to her own journey as a jockey, under the watchful eye of leading trainer Matthew Dunn, with 24 winners since she kicked off back on February 2 with success at her second race ride.

Jett Newman (left) with her Gunnedah Cup trophy after winning on Osman. (Pic: Bradley Photos).

As he’s done since that day, Dunn has provided Newman with plenty of opportunities to add to her tally at Sunday’s Murwilumbah meeting and she said she couldn’t have asked for a better platform.

“After I’d done all my trials I wanted to go to the country and start out there so I moved up in January,’’ Newman said.

“I was up here for a couple of weeks and then went to the races. My mum came up to support me, I do miss all my family but it’s worth it.

“I’m very grateful, (Matt Dunn) is supporting me more than I could have imagined. He puts me on all of his country runners and he’s put a lot of work into me.”

When Jett was born, Mitch Newman was training and her mother was a trackwork rider so you’d say there was little chance she wouldn’t find a future on the back of a horse.

Prior to starting out as an apprentice with Claire and Chad Lever at Hawkesbury she did plenty of show riding and jumping and in 2022 she won the Pony Race at the Australia Day meeting at Warwick Farm.

“I always wanted to be a jockey,’’ she said.

“The last few years before I started racing I was showjumping, that was my thing.

“When I started riding trackwork I had to sell my show jumper, because I didn’t have time, so I could focus on racing.”

So while it might seem things are happening fast for Newman, given how quickly she’s made an impact on the Northern Rivers, it’ll be a while before she ventures closer to the city.

“We’re not trying to move quickly and rush into anything. I’ll ride out my claim in the country,’’ she said.

“I had to do a big move but I am enjoying it, it’s been really good up at Matt’s.”

Dunn provides six of Newman’s eight rides at Sunday’s Murwillumbah meeting and she said there are a number of good chances among them.

Herald Angel made her debut with a second placing at Grafton and Newman said it was a run she can build on in the Murwillumbah Cup August 22 Handicap (1200m).

“I was very impressed with her first-up run, I think she will definitely improve,’’ she said.

“She should put herself in the race from that barrier.”

Stablemate Saxinoue takes an unbeaten second-up record into the Brims Concrete & Landscape Supplies Handicap (1550m) and Newman said his resumption was better than it looks on paper.

“He ran well but he didn’t get much luck last start,’’ she said.

“We got back a bit further than we would have liked but he ran on well. He drew well and he’ll be able to put himself in the race, he should be in the chances.”

Jett Newman wins on Insinuate (Pic: Trackside).

Former Chris Waller-trained filly Insinuate won on debut for Dunn last month at Casino before running third at the same track when favourite on May 30.

Newman said the extra trip in the Riverview Hotel Handicap (1550m) is in her favour.

“We’ll probably have to do a bit of work, we’ll need a bit of luck to get there,’’ she said.

“She’s up in trip and she’s racing consistently so she should go well.”

She’ll wrap the meeting chasing back-to-back wins on Lucky Neko in the Murwillumbah Services Club Handicap (1200m).

The filly led all the way to dispense with her maiden over 1400m at Casino three weeks ago and Newman said it’s important she breaks well.

“She improved heaps at her last run, she just needed everything to go her way,’’ she said.

“She’s back to 1200m but I don’t think that should worry her.”

All the fields, form and replays for Sunday's Murwillumbah meeting