A delighted Rohan Mudhoo gives a victory salute as he brings Schedar back to the winner’s stall following an emotional comeback success at Riccarton last Saturday.
John Jenkins is a longtime racing journalist based in Hawke’s Bay.
OPINION
There was no more significant win on New Zealand racetracks last Saturday than Rohan Mudhoo’s success aboard Schedar in a maiden 1400m race at Riccarton.
It may have been just a minor race but to Mudhoo it meant the world.
The expat Mauritian jockey has been riding in New Zealand since 2018 and had chalked up 154 previous wins before a shock diagnosis nine months ago stopped his career and threatened to end his life.
“I was diagnosed with cancer in February and we had to take immediate action because the results indicated I’d had it for about a year and was already in stage four,” Mudhoo said.
“The doctors wanted to get my treatment fast-tracked, so I rode my last meeting at Invercargill and one week later I started chemotherapy, which I underwent for the next six months.
“I am extremely lucky to have my wife Payal. She kept telling me to see a doctor as she thought something wasn’t right, but I was riding plenty of winners and was just focussing on my riding. Finally, she made me get a biopsy which resulted in the diagnosis.
“She was the closest to me at all times, I was wearing a smile outside of the house but she knew what I really went through mentally and physically. I cannot thank her enough; she is the biggest blessing in my life.
“The journey was not easy, I was getting four different types of drugs and one of those was doing damage to my lungs, so they had to restrict one as it was just too strong. But I’ve come through the treatment all right and my body coped well with it and now I’m cancer-free.
“I was very fortunate to have my very close friend, Akhi Doman, living in Queenstown, so I spent a lot of time at his place to get away from Christchurch into a different environment. He was like an older brother to me and I am so grateful for that.”
After receiving a medical clearance to return to light trackwork, Mudhoo would come into Riccarton Park a couple of days a week, slowly building to riding up to 15 horses in trackwork in a morning.
“I was not doing much exercise initially as I was heavy-headed most of the time. I was coming to the track to watch and be around the horses, occasionally getting on a quiet one to do a lap on the sand track,” he said.
“Most of the time, I didn’t have enough energy, so I just went for little walks out of the house or in the park.
“I got to 69kg after the treatment and I was thinking about walking away from riding but my family was amazing, pushing me and motivating me to come back. My brother was checking in on me every day too so I had to do it for them, even though my wife cooks very good food.
“Once I got the all-clear I started riding a lot more work and getting back to the gym, running on the treadmill, and getting more physically active.
“I’ve been riding for about five or six different trainers at Riccarton including Andrew Carston, Mike McCann, Pam Robson and Danny Crozier, which has been good.”
Mudhoo returned to race riding at Ashburton on October 20 and, although unplaced in each of his three rides, he was the toast of everyone on the course at Riccarton last Saturday when he brought Schedar back to the winner’s stall.
It was fitting that Mudhoo’s comeback win was on a horse trained by Christchurch trainer Mike McCann, who has been one of the rider’s biggest supporters during his career and has been a pillar of support for him during his battle with cancer.
Mudhoo expressed plenty of gratitude for the support he has received during this challenging period in his life, particularly in his local South Island and Canterbury contingent.
“I want to say a huge thank you to the South Island racing community. Tim Mills and the Canterbury Jockey Club, NZTR and the Boys Get Paid for their amazing support,” he said.
“Andrew McKerrow, the racing chaplain, helped me a lot both emotionally and mentally through the hard times.
“Also, to my family, my good friend Roopesh Jaun, Mike and Kathy McCann, and my other fellow jockeys, Mose (Terry Moseley), Kylie (Williams), Tina (Comignaghi), Sam (Wynne), and so many more. The list just goes on, I apologise if I missed anyone’s name as I have just received an incredible amount of support and I’m so appreciative.
“I’m just so pleased to be back.”
Zappa Jak’s NZ Cup plans halted by injury
A minor leg injury has ended the New Zealand Cup plans for Hawke’s Bay galloper Zappa Jak.
The Jakkalberry six-year-old knocked a front leg during his last race when beating only one horse home over 2000m at Te Rapa on October 12, and it has developed into a splint.
“He just didn’t go a yard on that track at Te Rapa that day and obviously struck a cannon bone which would explain his poor run,” Waipukurau trainer Kirsty Lawrence said on Wednesday.
“We had the leg x-rayed yesterday and it is looking a lot better but it is not worth rushing him into another race so we’ve pulled the pin on the South Island trip.”
Zappa Jak is the winner of five races from 29 starts and Lawrence firmly believes he is capable of measuring up in a major cup race.
“I think he’s certainly got the ability to perform at that grade but we are just going to wait,” Lawrence said.
She added that she will now set the horse on a path towards the Group 3 $400,000 Wellington Cup (3200m) at Trentham on January 18.
Rogerson has the heart for another Cup tilt
As New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame trainer Graeme Rogerson prepares for his shot at again winning racing’s Holy Grail, he has revealed: “I’m just lucky to be alive.”
Rogerson and his wife Debbie will produce three-time Group 1 winner Sharp ‘N’ Smart in next Tuesday’s $A8.56 million Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington but the larger-than-life trainer has already tasted victory in a much bigger event.
Earlier this year, Rogerson underwent life-saving cardiac surgery. It took months before he was fully recovered and while he still bears the scars of that ordeal, “Rogey” can’t help finding himself looking at the bright side of life.
“Every day now is a good day,” he said.
Rogerson revealed that his surgeon had told him his heart was operating at only 50% efficiency.
“Now I’ve had the operation, I’ve got the other half working,” he quipped.
“They said (the recovery) would take six months and I’ve got two-and-a-half months to go. Then I’d like to think I might find another good horse.”
That next good horse has a high bar to reach to compare with the Rogersons’ current star, Sharp ‘N’ Smart.
A winner of the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) in Sydney, the Group 1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) and Group 1 Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa, Smart ‘N’ Smart was last year’s New Zealand Horse of the Year.
While a bug prevented him from racing at his best as a four-year-old, he has returned as a stronger spring five-year-old, as demonstrated by his last-start third placing in last Friday’s Group 2 Moonee Valley Gold Cup (2500m), a performance that confirmed he was on song for the Melbourne Cup.
“It was very good when you look at it from the sectionals, and you’ve got to remember he had 59 kilos. He’s only got 53 and a half in the Cup,” Rogerson said.
“In racing, weights and measures mean a lot. He’s well off in the Cup and he’s got a lot going for him. He just needs an ounce of luck.”
Working closely with Lloyd Williams, Rogerson bought 1978 Cup winner Arwon and 1985 Cup winner What A Nuisance. And he got to hoist his own trainer’s Cup when he produced Efficient to win the 2007 feature in Williams’ colours.
“When you win one, you want to win another, then another. Lloyd’s won seven,” Rogerson said.
He knows all too well that you never know whether a horse will run out a strong 3200m until you try them but says Sharp ‘N’ Smart shows every attribute needed to get it.
“He’s got to the stage now where he wants to relax. He reminds me of Arwon and What And Nuisance.
“He’s going to have to be at the top of his game, but I think he’s not far from it. The only thing he doesn’t want is a wet track.”
Te Rapa abandoned after unsafe track
The spate of bad luck with New Zealand tracks continued at Te Rapa last Monday with the abandonment of racing at the Hamilton venue following several slips.
Jockey Sam Weatherley reported his mount, Ess Vee Are, had slipped prior to entering the home straight before going on to win the opening race of the card, while Joe Doyle and Warren Kennedy reported that their horses, Oppenheimer and Sabrina Hall, had also slipped in race three, resulting in a decision to abandon the meeting.
Ironically Hawke’s Bay Racing’s Livamol Classic race day, on October 12, was transferred to the Te Rapa track after Hastings was deemed unsuitable for racing following the abandonment of the Arrowfield Stud Plate Day, and its subsequent transfer to Matamata.
Paunovic moved to Havelock North with her family from Croatia seven years ago.