Racing: Spratt refuses to feel any pressure

Just another raceday for Sam Spratt. Photo / Richard Robinson

Sam Spratt should know a bit about pressure.

Pressure on her brain nearly killed her after a sickening racefall at Trentham a few years ago.

She had pressure from family and friends not to return to race riding after that.

She had pressure riding in group one races last season and chasing James McDonald for the Jockeys' Premiership.

Yet, spend some time with Sam Spratt and you quickly realise she probably can't even spell the word, pressure.

It's because she simply doesn't want to know about it.

Pressure is something Spratt does not embrace in life.

Which is why she's the perfect partner for New Zealand's Horse Of The Year Mufhasa, raging favourite to win today's $225,000 Mudgway Partsworld Stakes at Hastings.

As the first group one race raceday run in New Zealand in months and the unofficial start of the new racing season, there is a lot of hype around today's Mudgway.

But not in the Spratt household.

"It's just another raceday," said Spratt as she packed her bags to head to Hastings late in the day.

No, she hadn't studied the field or where the main opposition might come from.

She would be alone among the Mudgway riders there.

"I'm not a person to do homework," she says casually.

"What happens happens.

"If he's good enough, no, well, we know he's good enough, but if he's fit enough he should win."

That was the case last season for Spratt and Mufhasa in the $200,000 Waikato Draught Sprint, $300,000 Couplands Bakeries Mile and $1 million Telegraph Handicap.

Spratt said she would not be discussing race tactics in the drive to Hastings with Mufhasa's trainer Stephen McKee.

"We never talk shop until we're in the birdcage just before the race."

Spratt said even when she went to Sydney for the A$400,000 George Ryder Stakes and A$2 million Doncaster in the autumn the races were never discussed until McKee was about to leg Spratt into the saddle in the birdcage.

"The whole thing is left to the last minute."

Which has worked brilliantly and was probably a good thing during the trip to Hastings yesterday.

Also in the car was Richard Yuill, trainer of Prince Kaapstad, the horse McKee rates as the one to beat.

He'll probably mention that to Sam Spratt as he legs her into the saddle this afternoon.

Spratt also has several other rides at Hastings today, including High Octane in what is a strong field in the Glen Aros Country Estate Premier.

Several potential spring cup hopefuls will contest the 1600m handicap highlighted by last season's AJC Derby runnerup Harris Tweed, who is making his debut for the season.

There will also be plenty of interest shown in the performance of Capecover.

The topweight ran on nicely for sixth to Alpha Pukeko in his resuming run at Otaki and is sure to appreciate the better track conditions here.