Work, work, and more work helps Arnett Gardens-born jockey Oneil Scott
Quietly apprentice Oneil Scott has been chalking up the winners of late as he continues to make progress in his career.
Scott added another win to his tally when he rode Miss Linda Wray to a gate-to-wire win in the second race over five-and-a-half furlongs (1,100m) at the races on Monday, Independence Day.
The young rider found it very difficult in the early part of his career to locate the winners, but has now piloted 32 for this season — the best since Scott started on September 26, 2015.
Scott is in fourth place in the jockey’s championship behind leader Anthony Thomas (65 winners) Shane Ellis (41 winners) and Dick Cardenas (40 winners).
“I don’t know where this form has come from, but I have to give thanks to my agent as he is doing a very great job securing the rides for me. I have been riding well and I want to continue just like that for a long time,” Scott said.
He then declared that while he has no problems getting the rides each race day, the key to his present success remains his love for the sport and work, work and more work.
“Right now, everybody has to work hard; you have to press hard for what you want — hard work, listening to what the trainers have to say, determination, going out there with a strong mind help a lot. You will win races with that frame of mind as well as you will have to be confident in yourself that you can get the job done,” said Scott.
Scott, a past student of the Waterford High school in Portmore in St Catherine, said becoming a jockey has always been his lifelong dream.
“Becoming a jockey was my first choice. I am feeling proud of what I have accomplished so far. I was born in Arnett Gardens and it was my father who first brought me to the racetrack. I had a cousin by the name of Dennis, Swaby and he was a jockey but he died in an accident and everyone was telling me that I looked like him, that I resembled him, and so and I came and followed the sport and right now I am doing great. I have no regrets,” the 24-year-old Scott said.