Racing: Enthusiastic Jago back on El Soldado

Jason Jago, 43, migrated to New Zealand with his family from South Africa in 2007 and has won 61 races in this country. Photo / Duncan Brown

Waikato jockey Jason Jago has a renewed passion for race riding and is excited to continue his comeback aboard a group one winner at Te Rapa on Saturday.

Jago, who rode Fleur de Lune to win the Railway Stakes at Ellerslie in 2013 before quitting the saddle the following year, had his comeback ride at Matamata on Wednesday on the unplaced Etonian.

He has two rides at Te Rapa today aboard the Tim and Margaret Carter-trained Sky Idea in the Hamilton Taxis 2100 and Auckland Cup winner El Soldado in the Dunstan Feeds Championship Qualifier (2100m).

"It's fantastic to be back out there again and it's pretty good to be back on a horse like El Soldado for my second ride back," Jago said.

Jago, 43, migrated to New Zealand with his family from South Africa in 2007 and has won 61 races in this country.

Despite his group one success, Jago felt his heart wasn't in it in 2014 and bought a business.

"It's good to have a break. I'd never really had a break from race riding and I probably just got a bit sick of it and I needed to do something new for a change," he said.

"I went out into the big wide world and bought a Jim's Mowing franchise. I'd ride work at Cambridge in the morning and then go and push around a mower for the rest of the day.

"I've never stopped riding trackwork - I've ridden continuously since I stopped riding raceday and I've just decided it's time now to come back."

Having sold his franchise, Jago is buzzing ahead of reigniting his career in Saturday company at Te Rapa.

"I still enjoy the horses and the riding and I'm looking forward to Saturday," he said.

"I haven't sat on Sky Idea but they tell me it goes pretty good. I've been riding El Soldado in all his work and his work has been solid. Hopefully he can run well. He's done pretty well in that race before."

Jago won the corresponding race aboard El Soldado in 2012, and the Phillip Devcich-trained Colombia gelding has finished eighth and fifth in two appearances in the race since.

- NZ Racing Desk