Racing: Jockey shows no signs of slowing down

There are 10 races on the card at Ruakaka tomorrow. Photo/File

He has ridden on nearly every race track in India, but Palmerston North jockey Robbie Hannam will have his first race ride on the Ruakaka track tomorrow.

Hannam has answered an SOS from Matamata trainer Alan Tait to partner three of his runners at the Whangarei Racing Clubs meeting and has picked up a mount for Cambridge training partners Jeff McVean and Emma-Lee Browne. Hannam, 47, rode for three seasons in India 18 years ago and was the leading rider for two of those seasons riding over 200 winners.

"I was lucky I was employed to ride for the leading owner there at the time," Hannam said.

"I rode at all the major race tracks, Calcutta, Chennai, Hyderabad and Mumbai, but stayed clear of Delhi."

"When I was there, there was an outbreak of Delhi belly and I wasn't prepared to take the chance of getting it."

It was a profitable exercise for Hannam and he has established himself back in New Zealand as one of our top lightweight jockeys.

He has ridden 867 winners in his homeland and is keen to extend the tally at Ruakaka.

"It won't be the first time I've been to the track though, he said. A little while ago my wife and I travelled to Whangarei to meet some friends and as we were driving back we noticed the Ruakaka road sign."

"So we took the turnoff and went and had a look at the track."

"Ever since then I've wanted to ride on it and when I was offered the mounts I jumped at the chance."

Two of the three horses from Taits stable are unraced two-year-olds who have shown promise at the trials.

In race one, Hannam rides Southern Icon, a Big Brown gelding, who finished second in his only trial at Te Awamutu on April 22 over 600 metres.

Southern Icon raced outside the leader and was beaten a head with a further nine lengths back to the third horse.

Hardest to beat will be another first starter, Johnhro, who impressed winning a recent trial but Southern Icon does show natural ability.

Race two, Hannam rides Sherpa, a Chinese Dragon gelding.

He trialled at Te Teko on May 1 over 1000 metres. Second-last early, he improved wide from the 600 and swept up to lead widest on the turn. He was run down close to the line and the big thing in his favour on Wednesday is he has drawn the inside barrier over 800 metres.

Hannam will ride Southern Comet in race eight for Tait.

Tait has been patient waiting for a good track for the three-year-old son of Northern Meteor.

He last raced at Pukekohe on March 28 and stormed home from the rear to finish second.

Since then he has been scratched from four other meetings as Tait has waited for a good track for the gelding.

Hannams other ride is Axl Rose in race seven. He hasnt raced since last December but does have a good record fresh and in January last year finished fourth in the Wellington Stakes behind Weissmuller.

Just like his other jockey mates though, he lives by the adage have saddle will travel.

He is riding at Otaki trials today, flying to Auckland in the evening, driving up to Ruakaka tomorrow morning and flying back to Hastings races on Thursday.

There are no signs of him slowing down either.

"I'm like a good bottle of red wine, getting better with age," he said.

There is a good chance his first race day at Ruakaka will be a winning one.