Archie Loweth has come to New Zealand to boost the ranks of the country’s jumps jockeys this winter.
John Jenkins is a longtime racing journalist based in Hawke’s Bay
Hawke’s Bay has two new additions to its depleted jockey ranks.
Two English jumps riders, Archie Loweth and Will Featherstone, have taken up offers to ride in New Zealand this winter and both have based themselves in Hawke’s Bay.
Kate Hercock is the only professional jockey based in Hawke’s Bay at the moment, while amateur Sameer Mohammed has moved back to Hastings after a stint in the Manawatū stable of Kevin and Stephen Gray.
Loweth, 20, has moved in with Hastings trainer Aaron Bidlake, while Featherstone has been lured to the region by Waipukurau trainer Lucy de Lautour. Both are enjoying life in New Zealand and soaking up the Hawke’s Bay scenery.
“I’ve been over here for a month and I’m really enjoying it,” Loweth said. “It is pretty quiet over the summer at home. I’ve always wanted to ride abroad and, knowing there were plenty of opportunities to ride over here, I thought I would come and experience it for myself.
“I’m living with Aaron Bidlake and riding a couple in the mornings for him, but I’m also working for Guy Lowry and then heading up to Paul Nelson’s, so I’m getting around the Hawke’s Bay area.”
Hailing from Wiltshire, in western England, Loweth has been involved in the racing industry through his teenage years, competing at amateur level on the competitive point-to-point circuit.
“I grew up doing a lot of pony club, as well as a bit of eventing, show jumping and hunting,” he said.
“I always wanted that little bit extra, so when I didn’t have much to do during lockdown, I started riding out for a local racing yard and got hooked from there. I started racing at 17, so this is my fourth season as an amateur in England.
“I’ve had about 50 rides in England and I’ve been lucky enough to have two winners.”
Loweth had his first raceday rides over the jumps at Whanganui last Sunday.
His first New Zealand ride was aboard Hey Hey Hey in the Ken Duncan Racing Maiden Hurdle (3000m), finishing fourth. He then recorded the same result when guiding Canulovemeagain in the John Moore Memorial Open Steeplechase (3800m).
“In terms of the racing, the horses are trained differently here, without the hills like there are commonly back home. The races in England are also all a standing start and [are] normally run at a good gallop from the get-go, so it’s a big test of stamina.
“Here, they start slow and quicken throughout, almost back to front. It takes some getting used to, but I’m really enjoying it so far.
“I’m planning to stay right through to the end of the jumps season. I’m very grateful for the rides I’ve already received and am keen to ride for as many people as possible and hopefully get a few winners on the board here.”
Featherstone is also an English jumps jockey who has travelled to New Zealand to further his riding career.
The 21-year-old has family roots in racing, following in his father’s footsteps in becoming a point-to-point jockey, and he has been race-riding for the past four seasons, while working under Jamie Snowden.
“I’ve always ridden horses, I can’t remember a time that I didn’t,” he said.
“I got into racing pretty much straight away. I’ve always wanted to be a jockey because my dad used to ride point-to-points back home. I did a lot of pony racing from the age of 9 until about 16 or so.
“I’m 21 now, and I’ve had seven winners under rules from about 66 rides.”
Before being contacted by de Lautour last season, Featherstone admits he had very little knowledge about New Zealand racing. While he elected to stay on home soil back then, he took up the opportunity this year.
“Lucy sent me a message through Facebook and had watched a couple of my rides in England, so she asked if I wanted to come out to New Zealand,” he said. “Instantly I did want to, but I ended up staying for another summer and thought I would give it a go next season, which I’ve done now.
“I didn’t have a clue about it [New Zealand racing], to be honest. I didn’t know you don’t have ballots or that you jump out of the stalls [barriers].
“So far I’m enjoying it. My first ride was a fall the other day at the last fence, but we’ll kick on from there. Fingers crossed the next few have a good chance and we can win on a couple.”
Outside racing, Featherstone is looking forward to seeing plenty of the Kiwi countryside in the coming months.
“The scenery is lovely here and I’m planning at the end of my time to go skiing and treat it as a bit of a holiday as well, to see some more of the country.”
Hawke’s Bay-bred Metrical was one of the most impressive winners at last Saturday’s Morphettville meeting in Adelaide, coming from near last on the home turn to snatch a last-stride win in a Rating 68 race over 1200m.
The 5-year-old son of Time Test was bred by Hastings equine veterinarian Richard McKenzie, who sold him at the 2021 Karaka yearling sales for $130,000.
Metrical is a grandson of the high-class racemare Facing The Music, bought by McKenzie for $28,000 at a Karaka mixed bloodstock sale in 2008.
Facing The Music was the winner of 10 races during an illustrious track career in the early 1990s, when her victories included the Group 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m), Group 3 Desert Gold Stakes (1600m) and Group 3 Lowland Stakes (1400m). She also finished second to Snap in the 1994 Group 1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m).
McKenzie knew Facing The Music was nearing the end of her breeding days when he bought her but, after she missed getting in foal two years in a row, she finally produced an Iffraaj filly for him that he named Affrettando.
That horse recorded a third and a fourth from only five race starts for Hastings trainer John Bary before a tendon injury ended her racing career.
McKenzie has since been breeding from Affrettando and has had tremendous sale results with her progeny.
After the sale of Metrical, McKenzie offered a Proisir colt out of Affrettando at last year’s Karaka yearlings sales, fetching $360,000.
In between those two colts, Affrettando produced a filly by Time Test that McKenzie decided to retain. He trains and races her in partnership with his partner, former jockey Jordan Bassett.
Prestissimo won a 1300m maiden race at Tauherenikau in November and contested the Group 2 Lowland Stakes (2100m) at Trentham at her last start, in March.
Metrical was recording his third win from 21 starts last week and has also chalked up three seconds and two thirds in Australia.
Darryn and Briar Weatherley are dreaming of Group 1 glory once again with their star galloper Pier, who is bound for Queensland after an impressive exhibition gallop at Matamata on Wednesday.
Pier’s journey as an elite racehorse has been far from smooth, from the highs of winning a Group 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) as a 3-year-old, to the lows of multiple injury layoffs over the past 18 months.
The Weatherleys have exercised plenty of patience during this time and were very nearly rewarded when Pier made his most recent return to the races last month, finishing a narrow second to Slipper Island in the Listed City Of Napier Sprint (1200m) at Trentham on April 12.
Now an attempt at making the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) field is on the cards, with Wednesday’s exhibition gallop on his home track at Matamata receiving a big pass mark from Weatherley’s son, jockey Sam Weatherley.
“I think I’m blowing a little bit more than he [Pier] is,” Sam Weatherley said.
“It’s a heavy track out there and he doesn’t actually mind a bit of cut in the track, it’s good on his joints. I don’t think he could be going much better, he’s dragging me into his work and, when he’s going well, that’s what he does.
“He’s the soundest he’s ever been, so we’ve got to strike while the iron’s hot.”
Darryn Weatherley watched on and echoed his son’s comments, adding they had intended the gallop to act like a trial for the gelding.
“I was really happy with the work. Being on his home track, he was quite above himself and it was a nice day out for him,” Darryn Weatherley said. “It’ll bring him on well for his next assignment, which is what we intended.”
Weatherley, Pier and stablemate Dark Destroyer will head to Sydney this Sunday, before travelling via float to Brisbane.
Pier’s first Queensland run will be in next Saturday’s Group 3 A$300,000 BRC Sprint (1350m) at Doomben, with his connections hoping he will perform well enough to secure a start in the Group 1 A$3 million Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) on June 14.
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