![Vad Bolozhinskyi strikes a stoic pose after winning the Murrurundi Cup aboard Bartender Blues. Picture by Mark Bode Vad Bolozhinskyi strikes a stoic pose after winning the Murrurundi Cup aboard Bartender Blues. Picture by Mark Bode](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/KUhQizDbwW8WqAyPP4x5yp/6f53528a-e3e6-4a5b-bb95-555ffe9cb901.jpg/r0_0_3629_2975_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The hot pink silks contrasted starkly with the anguish besetting Vad Bolozhinskyi.
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The 39-year-old country jockey has felt that way since Russia positioned itself to invade his homeland of Ukraine, then did so on February 24. With no end in sight for the war, Bolozhinskyi must deal daily with the knowledge that he has family and friends in a country torn apart by an ongoing conflict.
Yet life goes on for the Scone-based married father of two young children. And at the picturesque Quirindi Racecourse on Boxing Day, as a bumper crowd partied under a blazing summer sun, while Ukrainians bunkered down in the freezing cold on the other side of the world, Bolozhinskyi rode six-year-old grey gelding Bartender Blues to victory in the Murrurundi Cup.
The veteran hoop hails from Zhytomyr, a major transport hub before the war and located 140km west of the country's capital, Kyiv. In March, the BBC reported that Zhytomyr residents had faced "massive daily bombardment", "killing civilians and leaving many without homes".
Bolozhinskyi said a "very good" internet connection had kept him in constant contact with loved ones back home.
"But some of them are in the army; some of them are waiting to go there," he added. "So it's a bit tense and a bit of a delicate situation to talk about. But they're good. They're all right."
Still, he continued, "it's a battle zone ... you're safe today, you're not tomorrow".
Bolozhinskyi thanked Australia for supporting Ukraine. He said Australians were "helping a lot with military equipment and donations and first aid".
"So the Australian people are doing whatever they can do .... Big thank you from all Ukrainians to all Australia people for what they do for them."
Bolozhinskyi said Australia's Ukrainian community was helping Ukrainians who had fled their homeland. "But none of them actually plan to stay here for ever," he said, adding that they "just wait" until the war ends.
![Bartender Blues (centre) powers to victory. Bartender Blues (centre) powers to victory.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/KUhQizDbwW8WqAyPP4x5yp/ab6d4123-ae53-42fc-9de4-81b89c67b4fd.jpg/r0_0_2649_899_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"But most of them, it's just females with the kids. So they do need help."
Bolozhinskyi arrived in Australia more than a decade ago intent on becoming a professional jockey. He had been a trackwork rider in the UK.
"I was trying to get my [jockey] licence in England, but it was a bit complicated because I didn't have the permanent residency; too much boxes to tick," he said.
"Some of my friends and trainers who I used to work with in England, they recommend [I] come up to Australia and have a crack and see what happens."
![The owners of Murrurundi Cup winner Bartender Blues (L-R) James Grant, Dave Grant, Lorrayne Grant and Matthew Whitby. Also pictured is Judd Thomas - the son of the horse's trainer, Luke Thomas. The owners of Murrurundi Cup winner Bartender Blues (L-R) James Grant, Dave Grant, Lorrayne Grant and Matthew Whitby. Also pictured is Judd Thomas - the son of the horse's trainer, Luke Thomas.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/KUhQizDbwW8WqAyPP4x5yp/df134e94-07ba-4316-8471-0d38f7cd84d3.jpg/r0_0_3900_2566_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
After having his first ride in Australia in 2013, Bolozhinskyi has gone on to notch up 224 winners (219 of them in country NSW) and amass almost $3 million in prize money.
His latest winner, Bartender Blues, was the $2.50 favourite in the $13,000 Murrurundi Cup (2000m). The Luke Thomas-trained horse beat the Carmen Murnane-trained Kyanite (Georgia Dobie) by half a length, with the Jane Clement-trained House Wins (Kelsey Lenton) finishing third.
Bartender Blues now has two wins from 34 starts, and has won just over 68,000 in prize money.
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