By Mike Dillon
Tim Wheeler was hoping his first ride back in New Zealand for more than four years would do better than third on Freebee High in yesterday's $20,000 Inter Island Steeplechase at Paeroa.
But he's not complaining.
In fact, for five days he didn't know whether he'd be allowed to ride the horse he taught to jump before he moved to Melbourne in 1995.
Ace jumps jockey Eddie Lamb had ridden Freebee High in the $100,000 Mercedes-Benz Great Northern and was due to take yesterday's ride.
"I was at Manawatu races last Thursday and Eddie copped a suspension and asked me if I'd ride him at Paeroa.
"I said yes, but when the engagement went through to Thoroughbred Racing the message came back that I hadn't been granted a licence and the horse's trainer Tom Rowan panicked a bit and declared Ben Foote."
Foote was declared as the official rider by the club, but Wheeler's licence was faxed to the Cambridge trials on Tuesday.
Freebee High, only sixth behind Royal Ways in the Mercedes-Benz, looked a big chance to win when he took over with a round to travel and was still in front until he put in a bad jump on the second fence on the hill the last time.
"I thought he'd find a bit more when he got to the front, but once he was on the hill the last time he got on to one rein and made it hard for himself.
"He's a dead-set stayer though. He did well to get third and he's the perfect horse for a race like the Pakuranga Hunt Cup.
"I wanted to take him to Melbourne when I left, but Tom decided to keep him here."
Wheeler still owns a property at Matamata and came back to check on a few things and see his dad.
"I've got to be back to ride Wild Twister in the Hiskins Steeples at Moonee Valley on Saturday," he said.
"He's a big chance, too, after finishing second in the Grand National, but in saying that the Hiskins is the best field I've seen for a long time. It won't be easy."
Forget about riding horses over high fences at 50km an hour being tough - the hardest thing Wheeler has had to do this week is yell for the Wallabies in a room full of Kiwis on Saturday night.
"I felt obligated," he said yesterday.
"But the Wallabies started cheating and that brought them undone."
The Inter Island was won by Tassenberg, a moderate but welcome consolation for missing out on the one race trainer-rider Tony Gillies has wanted to win all his life, the Mercedes-Benz.
"His jump at the last fence won it for him," said Gillies. "He landed running and held his advantage."
Tassenberg will go on to the Pakuranga Hunt Cup, with probably a run between at Ellerslie in two weeks, and Gillies didn't rule out the horse coming back next year.
Which means Gillies will also be back.
"When he retires, I'll retire. At this stage we're both coming back."
Horse Racing: Former star jockey returns
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