Horse racing: Kiwi comeback jockey hoping to Ace his return to the big time

Bona Sforza and Ace Lawson-Carroll are off to the big dance in Adelaide this Saturday. Photo / Ajay Berry

Ace Lawson-Carroll’s dream comeback is continuing, with the South Auckland apprentice jockey set to cross the Tasman to ride Bona Sforza in the A$1 million Australasian Oaks at Morphettville on Saturday.

The 21-year-old hoop made his return to racing just a month ago after he suffered career-threatening injuries in a race fall last July and he subsequently underwent several surgeries and months of rehabilitation.

“I broke my neck, I had a hip replacement and I also had surgery on my collarbone,” Lawson-Carroll said. “I lost a fair bit of feeling in my foot through not being able to use it much and I was slowly trying to get movement back into my legs.

“I did a lot of rehab with it to try and get it mobile, which was the biggest thing.”

He made a fairy-tale return when winning aboard Bona Sforza in the Listed NZB Insurance Stakes (1600m) at Riccarton earlier this month, which came exactly one year to the day after their triumph in the Listed Welcome Stakes (1200m).

Lawson-Carroll is pinching himself after he got the nod by trainer Samantha Finnegan to travel across the Tasman to partner with Bona Sforza for a third time, and he is hoping to repay her faith this weekend.

“I am very grateful and very excited,” he said. “It will open up some more doors for myself and it is a great opportunity to get over there and see what racing is like across the Ditch.

“Hopefully I can venture out and meet some new connections, creating new relationships will be quite cool.”

While he only has one ride booked for Saturday, Lawson-Carroll is hopeful some local trainers will take a chance on him.

“I am looking to go over on Friday and come home on Sunday,” he said. “Samantha and Francis Finnegan are going to try and get in contact with a few trainers while they are over there, but at this stage it will be just the one ride.”

The trip will also offer Lawson-Carroll the opportunity to ride against expat Kiwi jockey James McDonald.

Crowned Longines World’s Best Jockey on three occasions (2022, 2024 and 2025), McDonald has been an inspiration for many young Kiwi jockeys, Lawson-Carroll included, and the young Kiwi is looking forward to competing against one of the best in the world this weekend, with McDonald to partner the Chris Waller-trained Panova in the Oaks.

“Everyone likes James McDonald, so it will be cool to meet him, I have seen him once or twice but I have never actually met him,” Lawson-Carroll said.

Having won over a mile last start, Lawson-Carroll believes Bona Sforza will be well-suited to the step up to 2000m this weekend, with the week’s dry-weather forecast also working in her favour.

“The track will suit her over there because it is obviously pretty wet back home,” he said. “If you look at her form, she has always gone well on a Good track.

“It will be interesting to see what barrier draw we get. I think she settles as well, so I think she will get the trip.”

With an undefeated record on Bona Sforza, Lawson-Carroll is dreaming of continuing their golden run along with his fairy-tale comeback.

“Hopefully we can go three for three, it would be a great tale to tell,” he said.

– LOVERACING.NZ News Desk