Horse racing: McNab closes in on premiership

Horse racing Imperatriz ridden by Michael McNab. Photo / Race Images.

The national jockeys' premiership is entering what boxers call the championship rounds and leader Michael McNab is up for the fight.

McNab can almost touch his first premiership, as with three months of the season to go, his 95 victories give him a 14-win lead over Craig Grylls, with another three back to Lisa Allpress and Tina Comignaghi, both on 78.

McNab hasn't just been accruing wins, but wins that matter, as he and Opie Bosson share the lead for black type victories at 14 each, while McNab went past $3 million in stakes for the season on Saturday, so also tops the money list.

All these numbers make him proud but now the real work begins because there is little glamour to be found in the next three months, just travel, often moderate horses and the potential for the fatigue to grow as glamour wins like last Saturday's Travis Stakes on Two Illicit start to become distant memories.

"Usually at this stage of the season, all you're thinking about is where you're going on holiday and when," said McNab.

"It's usually hard when the big races start to quieten down, but I now have another goal, and that's the premiership.

"It was always a goal from the start of the season but the most important thing was to ride well at the carnivals and do the best by the owners and trainers of those good horses.

"And I'm really proud of how that has gone. To get over $3 million in stakes and to be level with Opie on black type wins is a huge deal for me."

The next phase of Operation Premiership involves travelling to meetings such as Ruakaka's industry meeting today and McNab will stick to that and his usual northern engagements before deciding whether he needs to start travelling to extra meetings to seal the deal.

"Craig had a good week last week, but at the moment, we more or less ride at the same meetings," said McNab. "The premiership is the main goal now, so if he starts to get closer or if he starts travelling, then I'll have to think about it, too."

The lure of the premiership is so strong for McNab, he is back at the gym and off the drink during the week.

"I'm really focused and the gym helps mentally and with my weight, I do a lot of running and the Stairmaster, which really takes it out of me."

McNab has six rides on today's eight-race programme, including four for astute Cambridge trainer Ben Foote.

"All of Ben's will be good chances, with maybe Rekindled Express [R7, No 2] the best of them because he was good last time.

"Louisiana Man [R8, No 2] was disappointing last start but that might have been the ground, while it will be my first ride on Pontardawe but he was a good second last start."

"Iffin Doubt Dance [R3, No 2] from Lance Noble's stable was good here last start and I think she'll be even better back to the 1400m this time."

McNab is still paying $1.15 to win the jockeys' premiership with the TAB, which seems as fair as $1.15 ever can, with Grylls at $8 and Allpress at $9.