Jocelyn Young has made a quick rise through the training ranks in WA. She had first starter in 2018/19 and prepared two winners for the season.
Last year, she had 44 winners (at a 21 per cent strike rate) and amassed $462,000 in stakes.
She trained her first group winner this season when The Amber Hare won the Group 3 The Lombardo in March and she took out the Westsired three-year-old colts final with Skylord in July.
Now Young has her first runner in the WA Pacing Cup and she is keen to make the most of the opportunity.
Young would be the third woman trainer to prepare a WA Pacing Cup winner behind Frances Taylor (Sharach, 1982) and Alison Smith (Sunshine Band, 1996) if Valentines Brook wins.
The ultra consistent Valentines Brook is likely to be an outsider from barrier 6.
"It's a huge thrill to have a horse good enough to even be thought about for the cup, but to actually have gained a start is unreal," Young said.
"It's a big step for me personally and professionally.
"I never really considered what a big deal it is until it happened.
"Valentines Brook is working really well.
"He's sharp and he's right on his toes, often attracting plenty of attention on track work days with his immature antics.
"I haven't thought to much about the barrier. It's going to depend more on what others do for us to have a chance."
After spending the first part of her career solely focused on driving, Young has a team of 15 horses in work at her Ravenswood stables.
The 30-year-old has driven 372 winners of $3.8 million in stakes, including the Group 1 WA Oaks on Has No Fear.
She drove Hampton Banner in the WA Pacing Cup in January.
"I used to prefer driving but after a few bad falls and driving opportunities getting fewer, the training side has taken over favouritism," she said.
"I'd say driving in a pacing cup is more stressful because you have 12 people with different ideas and your plans change depending on what they do.
"Whereas training your horse is pretty routine whether it be the pacing cup or any race."
Valentines Brook has notched eight wins and 20 placings (and $152,000 in stakes) since he joined Young's stable in January 2022.
The Albert Walmsley-owned gelding has only finished out of the top five places three times in 38 starts for Young.
He ran one of the best races of his career at Gloucester Park on October 20 when he came from third last at the 500m mark to win the 1730m free-for-all in 1.53.4sec.
He will be driven by regular reinsman Kyle Symington. It will be the 21-year-old's first drive in a WA Pacing Cup.
Symington, who drove his 200th winner last month, said he was prepared for the pressure of the race.
"I just try and stay in a race day routine and it's helpful having a great support network around me," he said. "We will most likely just slot in early and see what happens after that.
"Hopefully it takes a while for some of the big players to find their position early and that can create some early pressure."
