Played the first six months of my rookie year, then decided to remind myself how to actually play the game by watching the tutorial videos in game and in the following six weeks won more races than I had in the preceding half-year, including my first G-race win, at G3.
This got me to a magical 30 wins, opening up G1 races. Got my first one the next week, I was the #6 favourite on a front runner, a style of horse I am not particularly good at because of the need to get a good start. Get to the paddocks prior to the race, the favourite is all like “oh hey cool this is your first G1 race, but my horse is awesome so see you at the finish line loser nyeh” because he’s apparently a shitebag.
Get to the race, get myself a god damn flying start, lead for the entirety and cross the line a half-length ahead of second place. My first G1 win at my first G1 race.
The favourite was a little more humble after that.
Shitebag.
I also won the Leading Apprentice award, as well as having the highest winning percentage of all riders ‘cause few people were actually giving me horses, so I ended up with 52 wins in 194 races, finishing 10th overall.