Michael McNab comes back to scale after winning the 2022 New Zealand 2000 Guineas on Pier. Photo / Ajay Berry
Riding the favourite in a Group 1 race is one hell of a way to launch your comeback.
And that is exactly what champion jockey Michael McNab will do at Ellerslie’s massive meeting on Saturday, when he reunites with Pier in the $600,000 Ōtaki-Māori Classic.
McNab started the season in sensational form and was the favourite to add another premiership to the two he has already won, before an injury ruled him out of the summer.
But he is now ready to return, with his first day back at the trials tomorrow, just to tick the boxes that he is ready to go racing.
And a series of unrelated events have seen him engaged to ride Pier as the favourite in the weight-for-age 1600m on Saturday.
Just a week ago, First Five headed the market for the Ōtaki-Māori Classic over Legarto, but both Te Rapa Group 1 winners have since pulled out of the race.
And Pier’s regular rider Sam Weatherley is suspended, so McNab, who rode the gelding to win the New Zealand 2000 Guineas two years ago, got the call-up, even though he has been sidelined for so long.
“It will be great to get back on him and be back out their riding again,” McNab said.
“I will just tick a few boxes at the trials on Tuesday and we should be good to go.”
Pier looked big and burly before his encouraging resumption in the BCD Sprint at Te Rapa nine days ago and is now the $3 favourite for Saturday, ahead of Tuxedo and Waitak.
Tuxedo’s trainer Shaune Ritchie confirms the 4-year-old will retain Ope Bosson, who rode him to win the $1 million Elsdon Park Aotearoa Classic last start.
“And he will wear the blinkers again, like he did in that Aotearoa Classic,” Ritchie said.
Waitak, who was the King Of Spring, is also confirmed for Saturday’s Group 1, with Craig Grylls to ride.
Ritchie will also try blinkers on Tajana in the $1m Al Basti Equiworld New Zealand Oaks, where she takes on Ohope Wins and Autumn Glory.
“I thought our filly just started to drift around when she came out to make her run at Te Rapa last start and we think the blinkers might help,” he said.
“After what we saw there [Ellis Classic], maybe we can’t beat Ohope Wins but the blinkers might help her because I am pretty sure we can’t beat the favourite without changing something.”
Ohope Wins is the $1.90 favourite for the Oaks and is now joined by Autumn Glory as being at least part-owned by racing and breeding giant Yulong, which has bought into the Waikato Guineas winner.
That means Yulong owns three of New Zealand’s best fillies as it also owns a half-share in unbeaten sensation Well Written, the hot favourite for the NZB Kiwi.
One of those just behind Well Written in the Kiwi market is Belle Cheval, who has been forced to find a new path to the slot race after the heavy track forced her scratching from the Lisa Chittick Champagne Stakes at Matamata on Saturday.
Co-trainer Sam Bergerson says while no trainer likes to change plans heading into the richest race of the season, Belle Cheval luckily had the perfect back-up plan.
“She heads to the Uncle Remus Stakes at Ellerslie this Saturday, which also fits in pretty nicely,” Bergerson said.
“Ideally, we would have liked to start on Saturday but the heavy track took that option away – but the only thing that really changes is by racing this week, she only has a two-week turnaround heading into the Kiwi, rather than three weeks.”
While the stable’s Matamata Breeders Stakes winner Lara Antipova heads to the Sistema on Champions Day, no decision has been made on whether Kinnaird, who has now failed as favourite in both the Karaka Millions and again in the Fairview Slipper on Saturday, will be joining her there.
“Saturday could have just been the heavy track but we will wait a day or two before deciding what he does next,” Bergerson said.
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.