KEY POINTS:
Manawatu jockey Bruce Herd has no plans for retirement after posting his 1000th win in New Zealand at Woodville yesterday.
Herd, 36, reached the five-figure milestone in a lowly $7000 race. It ended a frustrating period for the popular jockey who had gone without a win for five weeks after posting his 999th New Zealand win on April 3.
He admitted to some relief.
"It's good to get it out of the way," Herd said last night.
"It was always going to come. It's just taken a little bit longer than expected."
Herd was not concerned with his form over the previous five weeks.
"You are only as good as the horses you are riding. I went over my rides and there wasn't one I could say I should have won on."
Retirement was not being contemplated but he did not want to ride "forever".
He said he was often gaining good rides in top races and that was an indication he was riding as well as ever.
"It's pretty hard to give it away when you get those rides," he said.
"When you start getting rides in the big races, that's what you work for."
Among the top horses he has been riding of late is Sir Slick, on whom he has won two group one races.
He recently rode him in Hong Kong and next week will ride him in the Singapore International Cup.
Herd said he had never stopped learning as a rider.
"It's something you can keep improving at. I've never got to the stage where I've thought, 'That's as good as I'll get.'
"You always keep learning in this game, whether you are a rider, a trainer or a stablehand."
Weight, however, does pose a problem.
He has never been a natural lightweight and said he spent eight to 10 hours a week in the sauna to make his riding weight.
But he was pleased with the way his weight had settled in recent years and regularly rode at 53.5 or 54kg.
New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing does not keep records of riders who have ridden 1000 winners but NZPA believes Herd is the 19th to achieve the feat.
- NZPA
