Racing: Eynon off the booze and on his way to top of jumps table

Richard Eynon

Richard Eynon has no doubts as to the reason for his emergence into the top ranks of jumps riders.

On Saturday, he chalked up his second feature race win of the year when guiding Van Winkle in the $40,000 Wellington Hurdles at Awapuni in Palmerston North.

Last month, he rode the Ann and Ken Browne-trained Primo Canera to win the $30,000 McGregor Grant Steeplechase at Ellerslie and yesterday he took the lead on the national jumps jockeys' premiership.

Eynon's win in a hurdles race at Waimate took his season's jumps tally to 11 - one ahead of Jonathan Riddell and Joanne Rathbone.

Eynon, 26, said he gave up alcohol last Christmas and that had enabled him to turn around his riding career.

"Before, I couldn't even look a trainer in the eye because I would have alcohol on my breath," he said.

"I always had to look away."

Eynon said that now he was off the grog, his fitness had increased, his weight had stabilised and mentally he had matured.

With that came the confidence to approach trainers for rides, and that is virtually the case with Van Winkle.

Wanganui trainer Evan Rayner said a number of riders had asked him for the mount on Van Winkle for Saturday's race but Eynon was the only one to make a commitment for the rest of the horse's campaign.

"At least he said he would ride the horse right through," Rayner said.

Saturday's win was also special for Eynon as he was previously from Palmerston North and a number of his family were on hand to cheer him on.

Eynon's new-found confidence will see him move from Ruakaka, near Whangarei, to Cambridge from the beginning of next month.

"It's more central there," Eynon said.

"I probably missed out on a few rides by not being able to school [jumps training] them. Hopefully that will change by being at Cambridge."

Saturday's win extended Van Winkle's excellent hurdling record.

He has raced over hurdles eight times for four wins and two minor placings.

Rayner is aiming Van Winkle at the Grand National-Great Northern Hurdles double but said it was more than likely the horse would return to flat racing for his next start.

That's no surprise when it is considered the race is the $50,000 Taumarunui Cup (2100m) at Te Rapa on July 29. It's a race Van Winkle has raced in four or five times, according to Rayner, including two wins.

Rayner said he also enjoyed the hospitality of the Taumarunui club.

"We go there because they are such a good bunch of people ... They really look after us."

There was also a logical reason to running the horse in the Taumarunui Cup.

Rayner said racing Van Winkle in that race would probably mean being able to by-pass the Sydenham Hurdles on the first day of the Grand National meeting on August 5.

"I don't really want to run him in Sydenham because if he wins that he's only going to get more weight for the Grand National."

- NZPA