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Former South Australian apprentice Brandon Griffiths has made a winning start in his adopted state, riding his first NSW winner at Kembla Grange on June 16.

The 21-year-old Griffiths took his overall tally to 57 wins when he teamed with Hawkesbury trainer Wanda Ings to land a 1200m maiden on Missile Miss.

It was fitting that Griffiths should break through in NSW for Ings as he is the partner of the trainer’s daughter and fellow apprentice Chelsea Ings.

He had his first ride for Ings on May 6 when placed on Nanpop and has ridden a further two placings for her.

Griffiths last rode in SA at Gawler at the end of last season.

His previous winner was On The Prowl at Port Augusta last July before he decided to take a break from racing.

He cancelled his indentures and subsequently moved to NSW where he decided to relaunch his career and is now apprenticed to Bronwyn Mackie at Hawkesbury.

“Brandon is an accomplished jockey, and has ridden three city winners in South Australia,” Wanda Ings said.

“He can claim 3kg in town, 2kg at the provincials and 1.5kg in the country.

“His riding weight is listed as 55kg, but he has worked really hard to get it under control.

“Although he was unable to claim on Missile Miss we got special permission from stewards for him to ride the filly at her allotted 54kg.”

Griffiths followed his Kembla breakthrough with a close second for Scone trainer Brett Cavanough on Hot Pistol at Muswellbrook on Sunday.

A 2016 Easter yearling sale purchase, Missile Miss was initially sent to Wellington trainer Garry McCarney but did not race for him.

“She was never going to be a two-year-old, and had a bad experience in the barriers,” Ings said.

“Since coming back to me, we have taken her along slowly.

“Missile Miss is gradually coming right, and I do have an opinion of her. She has a lot of ability.”

Unfortunately Chelsea Ings’ best season has come to a premature end and she will not ride again until the new season.

Ings was dislodged from a ride after the start of the last race at Port Macquarie on May 18, fracturing the talus bone in her right ankle.

“It could be another three months before I can ride again,” she said. “I may need an operation to remove some floating pieces of bone.

“It’s been heart-breaking because things had been going so well. I was eighth on the NSW apprentices’ premiership table and fifth in the country.”

Ings had ridden 25 winners this season (48 overall) prior to the Port Macquarie incident.