In the past, the Moruya Jockey Club has featured jockeys as special guests or ambassadors at individual race meetings, such as Tommy Berry at this year’s Narooma Cup. 

It was such a success that the club decided to expand the role for the whole summer carnival which includes the Christmas at the Races on Sunday, December 20, Narooma Cup on January 4 and the Moruya Cup on January 18. 

Moruya Jockey Club manager Brian Cowden said the club was excited to have a jockey of Costin’s stature agree to be the new ambassador.

“We tried Winona, knowing she has a really good following locally and around the state,” Cowden said.

“She’s made a good name for herself being a personality and we put the offer to her and she accepted.” 

Cowden said he expected Costin to ride at all three meetings and promote the respective Cups at their Calcutta auctions.

“Obviously it’s months away yet and anything can happen, especially in that (horse riding) game,” he said.

“She indicated that she will get to both Calcuttas.” 

The Narooma Cup Calcutta will be held at Club Narooma on Sunday, January 3 and Moruya’s Calcutta will be held on Sunday, January 17. 

“She’s (Winona Costin) obviously busy on race day so it’s a bit hard to get her to do much with the crowd but we’ll make plans around whatever riding engagements,” Cowden said.

“Last year Tommy (Berry) was there and he had a little following on the day.

“He was brilliant about it and he went out of his way between races with the few spare minutes he had.”

Costin was the second female jockey to win the Sydney apprentice premiership after Kathy O’Hara won it 10 years ago.

She nabbed her first city treble this year and rode five winners at a Sapphire Coast meeting early last year. 

She began her apprenticeship with Mick Tubman at Kembla Grange.

In 2014 she moved to the Gai Waterhouse stable before she transferred to Peter and Paul Snowden stable in 2015.

Her most recent win at Moruya was at the Batemans Bay Cup meeting in June.