Dean Yendall: Riding strong

Dean Yendall might be one of the most recognisable names in country racing, but the long-held assumption that he’s a bush-born boy couldn’t be further from the truth.

“I think people assume that because I have done so much of my riding in the country, I was always a country boy from birth,” Yendall explains. “But I was still in the city until I was 14, before I moved to the country.”

Growing up in West Meadows, Yendall left school to begin his jockey apprenticeship with Ken Sweeney in Jerilderie, New South Wales. “That was my first taste of the country. After two years, I moved to Wangaratta, where I continued my apprenticeship with Peter Gray,” he says.

In a move that would shape the rest of his career, Yendall and Gray relocated to Ararat, in the heart of the Western District. “I was very light – and I still am – and I started to build strong relationships with Paul Preusker in Horsham, Symon Wilde in Warrnambool, and of course my long-time friend Matthew Williams, who also trains in Warrnambool.”

These and other smaller trainers gave Yendall the support he needed to become the go-to rider across much of regional Victoria. Before long, he was a fixture on the country circuit. In the early 2000s, he married fellow jockey Christine Puls, and the pair settled in Horsham. In 2016, they created a sporting moment to remember – dead-heating for first place in a race at Mildura, crossing the line together in a rare and fitting finish.

Yendall’s career record is impressive, and, as one of Australia’s top lightweights, he can ride at 49 kilograms, a trait that keeps him in demand for major races.

“My weight has been an advantage. It’s always helped me secure rides when other jockeys struggle to ride that light,” he says.

For more than three decades, Yendall has remained a mainstay of the Australian racing scene, particularly in the country. He’s consistently won bush premierships, and his winning strike rate of 13% is the envy of many riders.

Warrnambool trainer Matthew Williams highlighted Yendall’s value to his stable: “He comes in and rides in trials here at Warrnambool, but our friendship goes back to the early days when we were both starting out.”

Paul Preusker also spoke highly of Yendall. “I’ve known Dean for a long time – in fact, he lived with me before he got married. Even after that, we stayed close friends and enjoyed a lot of success, both here and in the city.”

In 2024, after years of managing pain, Yendall underwent hip resurfacing surgery – a major decision for a working jockey, but one that’s already delivering results. The procedure not only relieved his discomfort but helped restore mobility and balance that had been holding him back.

Now, after winning the Lexus Andrew Ramsden at Flemington aboard Basilinna – a victory that secured the mare a spot in the Lexus Melbourne Cup – Yendall looks set to return to a race he knows well.

In 2011, he rode Niwot to an eighth-place finish. He followed that with rides on Unchain My Heart (16th in 2014), Amelie’s Star (14th in 2017), and Oceanex (11th in 2020).

If Yendall and Basilinna line up at Flemington on the first Tuesday in November, there’ll be no doubt the Horsham veteran will give his mount every chance.

With his wealth of experience, calm under pressure, and deep understanding of horses, few are better placed to make it count.