BRENT EVANS TO RETURN TO QUEENSLAND

By Graham Potter | Friday, July 9, 2010

Apprentice jockey Brent Evans is heading back to Queensland.

The talented, young apprentice hopes to link up once again with his former master, trainer Lindsay Hatch, when he returns in "the next week or so."

Hatch fronts Racing Queensland on Tuesday where a decision a be made on his application to re-instate his trainer's license. Hatch was suspended from training for a year after one of his horses returned a high bicarbonate reading and Evans spent that time in Melbourne where he has ridden twenty-seven metropolitan winners.

Both trainer and rider are now looking to renew the partnership under which Evans blossomed to become a headline act in local riding ranks.

"We had a pretty good understanding," said Hatch.

"Brent achieved a lot in his last season with me.
"He won five premierships. I think he won a Group 3 and was a winner of two Listed races, I think. Probably no apprentice has ever achieved that so it was a big season for him.

"You have to keep an eye on him. I think I can control him a bit better than most people. He is only young, you now. He's only eighteen, nineteen ... and when they have a bit of success you have to keep them in check, you know what I mean.

"I'm raring to go myself. Absolutely.

"I had a bit of a health scare while I was outed. Everything happens for a reason. I'm healthy now and I'm really keen.

I'll be starting with about sixteen horses, which is a fair number to kick off with. I'm really looking forward to getting back.

"I haven't got my license yet. I've got to front on Tuesday, so hopefully it will be all systems go on Tuesday."

Evans, for his part, is as keen on getting back to the future.

"I'll be moving back in the next week or so," confirmed Evans. "I think I'll be going back to Lindsay (Hatch).

"I always had it in my mind that I would come back after a season in Melbourne when Lindsay could get his license back.

"So, yeah, I got to the end of the season and I had nothing down there (in Melbourne), so I'm heading back and I'm very keen on getting back with Lindsay.

"Melbourne was a great experience, you know. I had a couple of blunders along the way, but I was still riding winners. No, it was a good experience, but I'm up for the next challenge now."

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