Racing: Relaxed rider returns

David Walsh looked pretty content with life scoring regulation figures on the first par 4 at the Lochiel Golf Course yesterday.

That's because he is.

The vastly experienced 45-year-old jockey is having his first race ride in 2 1/2 years aboard Stu's Mate at Rotorua this afternoon.

Such lengthy breaks away from race riding can be difficult to overcome - Walsh reckons it will be a big benefit to him.

For as long as he can remember of his life in horse racing he is feeling refreshed and it shows.

"For the last four or five years I was riding I was pretty buggered. It's not something you think much about at the time, but looking back now I was short of a holiday or two."

Walsh gave away race riding in March 2002 when it became just too tough to juggle that and his job as private trainer for Westbury Stables at Karaka.

"I mixed the two for a year, but the new stables were getting under way and there were 40 horses to concentrate on and I decided to give the saddle away."

Walsh won the Remuera Cup on Kaz at Ellerslie in his second-last ride.

He parted company with Westbury in June last year and for seven months ran a horse and cattle agistment property in the Manawatu before looking after a team of horses during the Queensland winter carnival for Waikato trainers Graeme Sanders and Robert Priscott.

"I've ridden work all the way through, even when I was running the agistment property."

The former mid-Canterbury boy has ridden for most of his professional career in the lower North Island, but moved to Cambridge two weeks ago to resume his career.

"The competition's tougher up here and If I'm going to get into it I may as well do it in the biggest arena."

Walsh had intended leaving his reappearance until next week's Cambridge barrier trials with his raceday stint to follow a week or two later.

That was until Cambridge trainers Stu and Neil Dromgool offered him today's ride on Stu's Mate. Walsh has ridden him at work and thinks the draw is a bit tricky.

His return is a fraction early and Walsh admits that he will be blowing every bit as much as his mount after Race 8.

"But my body's good - it's not as if I've been laid up with injury for six months unable to do anything."

Jockeys welcome Walsh, who has 1800 wins, back into the ranks. They say his experience is a wonderful asset for the young riders.

Walsh is aiming at 2000 wins.