Stanleys hope family reunion is near with WA border set to drop

But don't expect the former Group 1 Caulfield Cup-winning jockey to be rushing online to purchase plane tickets just yet.

In response to the announcement the Western Australian government will reopen its hard borders on March 3 to triple-vaccinated travellers, a blunt Stanley says he'll believe it when he sees it.

For the Group 2 and dual Group 3-winning trainer, speculation and announcements about the WA border reopening have seemingly become as oft-repeated as replays of his stirring triumph as a 17-year-old apprentice in the 1996 Caulfield Cup aboard Arctic Scent.

READ MORE: WA to finally reopen borders from March 3

By coincidence, the breakthrough was achieved at the same age as Jett is now, as he continues to forge his own career in the saddle nearly 3500kms from the family home in Bendigo.

The Stanleys, including Paris and Brent's daughters Lulu, 14 and Lexi, 8, have not seen their son and brother face-to-face since April last year.

It was a momentous occasion, with Jett, then 16, booting home his first metropolitan winner at Ascot in only his third race ride.

With COVID restrictions in full force, the Stanleys, alongside friends, watched the race from outside the racecourse, before an emotional catch-up with Jett once he left the track.

After leaving Western Australia a few days later, the Stanleys have not seen their son since, despite making bookings on three separate occasions.

It has been an emotional struggle for all in the family.

"It's been ridiculous ... horrible. Jett has two younger sisters and they miss him horribly," Brent Stanley said.

READ MORE: Emotional first winner for teenage jockey Jett Stanley

"That's the worst part about it. You can talk to him as much as you want on the phone or online, but when you have an adolescent kid - he's not an adult and he's living with another family and operating in a highly stressful industry - you need family around you and you need some guidance.

"He has some good friends around him, but he has zero family around and that's something that hasn't been considered in all this.

"You need family for lots of different reasons. It's been terrible."

The one bright spot for the Stanleys, Jett, who has notched-up 27 wins in the last 10 months, has been fortunate to have found a home-away-from-home with his bosses and top trainers Grant and Alana Williams, to whom he is apprenticed.

The association between the Williamses and Stanleys was first forged when the Western Australian husband and wife sent a team to horses to Victoria in the autumn of 2020, with the likes of Regal Power and Superstorm being stabled at Stanley's former premises at Sutton Grange.

Their friendship has been a God-send for the Stanleys, in particular Jett, who will turn 18 at the end of April.

Brent Stanley, who spent seven-years riding overseas during his own career, including stints in Singapore and Hong Kong, said much of the stress could have been averted if the limited intake into the Victorian apprentice riders program was increased.

He drew comparisons between the lack of co-operation between Australia's state and territory governments during the COVID outbreak to the often tumultuous relationship between the different state racing jurisdictions.

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"The premiers need to stop pumping their own tyres up and start working together," he said.

Despite the obvious want to be on board the first flight to Perth once the borders open, Stanley has resisted booking at this point.

A series of previous attempts to get to Western Australia, or to get Jett home or on neutral ground interstate have all been nixed.

"I wouldn't trust them as far as I could kick them, these governments backflip more than they do anything else," he said.

"We've had to cancel three trips, while the premier has backflipped on all the others.

"I won't be buying a ticket until I'm sure he's got it open and it's staying open.

"These governments wonder why people have no respect for them, they have no idea how households and families live and operate.

"We'll do our best to get over there, but we have a business to run and the kids are at school.

"Priority number one will be getting to see Jett, or hopefully he can get over here.

"There are more important things than what we sometimes do in life and family is certainly number one in my life.

Stanley said he and the rest of the family continued to be fiercely proud of what Jett had achieved out on his own, despite the obvious hardship of not being around his parents and siblings.

"He's done sensationally and is a real credit to himself - there's no bad words being said about him," he said.

"All we hear is compliments from trainers and owners and he comes across well when we hear him interviewed on TV.

"We are super-proud of him.

"There are plenty of families in the same situation, but we can't wait to see him."

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