Former Cowra jockey Michael Cahill has added another notch to his racing CV, taking out his second Queensland Jockey of the Year award in Brisbane last weekend.
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Cahill, who previously received the honour at 2013's Queensland Thoroughbred Awards, said the award wasn't something that was in the back of his mind at the start of last season's racing calendar.
"At the start of the season I certainly didn't expect to take out that award," Cahill said.
"It's a terrific honour... [I'm] very thankful, really."
Key to Cahill's successful year, which has included more than 70 wins and 130 placings from more than 600 starts, have been back-to-back Group One wins aboard the New Zealand bred-and-trained The Bostonian.
The five-year-old Bay Gelding triumphed in the Kingsford-Smith Cup and the TAB Doomben 10,000 in May this year, yielding its connections $900,000 of prize money from the two meetings.
With Cahill also riding a further two Group Three and Listed winners respectively, he was keen to pay tribute to the calibre of horses and trainers he has worked with this year, believing that being on good horses has been a big part of winning this year's award.
"I'm very thankful for it and thankful for the support I received from not only from Brisbane trainers, but trainers from New Zealand, Sydney and Melbourne," the 54-year-old said.
"It was probably one of my best seasons in the saddle... [I] wasn't doing anything different."
Cahill, who also won QRIC Steward's Award on the night, also made mention of the familial bonds and local grounding that helped lay the ground work for his career in racing.
"It was a pretty big part of my life and career," he said of Cowra.
"It was where I started my apprenticeship and learned to ride ... I started riding track work there when I was 14.
"I was lucky I had a good start in the game ... I got good guidance from my parents."
The Queensland Thoroughbred Awards were held last Sunday at the Sofitel Brisbane Central Hotel, with 30 awards presented.
Cahill will be racing in Doomben from lunchtime this Saturday.
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