Horse racing: Michael McNab fights to defend New Zealand jockey title against Warren Kennedy

Casino Princess. Photo / Kenton Wright (Race Images)

It is now or never for Michael McNab’s defence of the New Zealand jockey’s premiership.

And the Cambridge superstar of the saddle is acutely aware that it is more likely to be never than now.

McNab goes into a busy weekend of racing nine wins behind premiership leader Warren Kennedy, having never really overcome the momentum lost when McNab was sidelined by injury last month.

Both men ride at Arawa Park in Rotorua today then head in different directions tomorrow as Kennedy travels to Oamaru while McNab stays north to ride at the re-scheduled Pukekohe meeting moved from Wednesday because of starting gate issues.

Add that to Thursday’s Hastings meeting being abandoned because of surface water and thoroughbred fans will be chomping at the bit to see some action today after an incredibly rare week with no racing in the country since last Saturday.

So Kennedy and McNab find themselves, because of the meeting double-ups, only able to ride at a maximum of eight meetings each before the season ends on July 31 and McNab knows he needs a miracle.

“I need a huge weekend this weekend to have any chance,” McNab told the Herald.

“To be honest maybe I needed that last weekend.

“I rode a winner and three seconds at Riccarton last Friday and maybe if they had all won things would be different.

“But nine wins is a lot to catch up. I have some really good rides this weekend so I am not giving up but it it getting very, very difficult.” So difficult in fact that if McNab doesn’t have a huge next two days he will ride until next Saturday and then take a week off, conceding the last two days of the season and allowing Kennedy a free rein for the final meeting on July 31, which has been transferred to Tauranga.

“If I have a huge week and get back to say two or even three wins behind I might change that plan but at this stage I will take that last week off to get the body and mind right for the spring.”

McNab has the stronger book at Arawa Park today on what looks likely to be a testing track and rides the best horse at the meeting in Casino Princess (R3, No.1).

While she has to carry 60kgs she did beat class mares Malt Time and Wessex at weight-for-age last start and has won three from four on heavy tracks so has to be the one to beat.

“She is a lovely mare and a really good ride so I think she is my best of the day,” says McNab.

The feature race in the country is further south at New Plymouth where Justaskme tries to defend his $100,000 Opunake Cup title.

The 1400m handicap has drawn a deep field, with in-form established winter stars like Justaskme and Belardo Boy asked to carry big weights, something made even more difficult by the likes of Wessex, Spencer and Chajaba being down on 53kgs.

The meeting also sees the return of Irish jockey Joe Doyle, who has been away from New Zealand racing for over a month but has been one of the stars of the season.

He sits third on the premiership with 94 wins and needs less than $50,000 in stakes won before the end of the season to join Kennedy and Craig Grylls in the $5 million club for the term.

Michael Guerin wrote his first nationally published racing articles while still in school and started writing about horse racing and the gambling industry for the Herald as a 20-year-old in 1990. He became the Herald’s Racing Editor in 1995 and covers the world’s biggest horse racing carnivals.