Racing: Top jockey dreaming of nabbing ultimate redemption

Michael McNab. Photo / Trish Dunell

In-form jockey Michael McNab is now daring to dream of the ultimate redemption.

But he says he will wait until the spoils of summer have been divvied up before putting his plans to chase that dream into action.

McNab produced the perfect ride to get local Justamaiz home in the $110,000 Counties Cup at Te Rapa on Saturday, heading home a one-two from only that many starters on the day for trainer David Greene.

The win was McNab's 37th for the season and he finds himself three clear of Lisa Allpress and Craig Grylls on the premiership, which has got McNab thinking about whether he can win the title that requires talent, horsepower and consistency.

"My agent Aidan Rodley asked me [yesterday] whether I want to go after it," says McNab.

"And you know what, if I get in the position later in the season to chase it, I'd love to.

"But I can't focus on that now and I don't want to put that pressure on myself so early in the season.

"At the moment, things are going well and I am concentrating on getting the little things right.

"So if I keep doing that and ride well at the carnivals over summer, then that will be one goal ticked off. Then if I get to March and I am in contention, we can make the decision to chase it full steam."

McNab says he would love a premiership and stand up in front of his peers to receive the award after falling down the jockeys' ranks by losing focus and picking up bad habits, not an uncommon racing tale.

"I realise Michael McNab riding well and Michael McNab drinking don't exist in the same place," he offers.

"But I am really focused, so I'd love to win a premiership.

"So let's get through summer and see if we have a shot."

The bookies haven't missed McNab's recent form and he is now the $3.50 equal second favourite for the jockeys' title alongside defending champion Danielle Johnson, with Allpress leading the market at $2.60.

Grylls, who has also indicated premiership aspirations in the past, is on the $4.50 next line of betting, while a big premiership mover on the weekend was Sam Weatherley.

He rode three winners at Te Rapa on Saturday to move into sixth equal on 24 wins and it would take only a few big weeks from him over summer for his $31 quote to win the premiership to halve.

As for Justamaiz, McNab likes what he felt when the grey stayer surged twice in the last 300m of the Counties Cup, showing plenty of fight.

"He is really where he needs to be and he will be hard to beat in the Waikato Cup in three weeks."

McNab has ridden Justamaiz three times this season for two wins and also finished fourth on him in the Counties Cup but he rode him in one other start that doesn't appear in the official records.

"I rode him in the City Of Auckland Cup in 2019 when there was a false start because a horse was left behind.

"We went almost a lap of the track together, so he was scratched for the second attempt at the race."