Racing: Scenic courses win a firm fan

Comeback English jockey Alan Munro enjoyed the second of his New Zealand winners at Te Aroha yesterday considerably more than the first.

Which is surprising because when he guided the Lance O'Sullivan-trained Lovemedo to victory at Te Teko a couple of weeks ago, it was his first winner since he gave up riding in 2000.

Problem was, Lovemedo did a u-turn soon after passing the winning post, dumping Munro head-first onto a rock-hard surface.

He hit the ground with such an impact that he was still sporting a back eye when he guided debut 2-year-old Cullemore over the line a narrow winner yesterday.

"The same enjoyable feeling without the pain," is how 38-year-old Munro described the win.

It came as a shock to most when Munro gave riding away at the pinnacle of his powers.

He won the 1991 English Derby on Generous and appeared to have the racing game mastered, despite a year off after being badly injured.

It was no rash decision on his part, he said at Te Aroha yesterday.

"I needed a sabbatical. I needed to be doing something else and I took up martial arts."

He got to black belt level, but sees that as rather ho-hum.

"That's only the starting point these days. That's the level when it starts to become interesting. You have to study it all your life to be really good."

Coming back to the saddle was also not a sudden rush of blood to the head.

He was probably always going to do it. At the point he decided when that would be he looked at the world map, decided New Zealand was an interesting looking country to visit and linked up with the Graeme Rogerson-Stephen Autridge stable.

There is no flat racing in England during the Northern Hemisphere winter and getting a kick-start Down Under seemed sensible.

Tourism New Zealand needs to get hold of Munro and have a talk before he returns home in the next 10 days.

He has fallen in love with what he describes as the scenic beauty of New Zealand and particularly some of the racecourses when compared with the often bleak UK racing strips.

"I can't believe how scenic the place is.

"I just loved Te Teko. It had a volcano - and a proper one, too. I'd never seen a volcano.

"And, what about here at Te Aroha, the racetrack is lined with palm trees."

Tourism is the reason Munro will be riding at Wingatui on Saturday, rather than Te Rapa.

He is booked to fly to Queenstown today to go sightseeing and is due to return to England on Monday.

That may now have changed. Munro will trot Cullemore up this morning in front of Stephen Autridge after which a decision will be made whether the youngster will back up in the $35,000 Fairview Ford Slipper at Matamata on Saturday week.

If he does, Munro will almost certainly delay his return home to take the mount.

"I'd have to stay for a race like that to be on a horse like him with a future. I just need to confirm a few things with my side."

The solidly built Cullemore, by Cullen, was slightly slow away, kicked up to lead then fought back to win narrowly after appearing to be headed in the home straight.

"He's not really tall, but he's 550kg," said Autridge. "He's got muscles on muscles."

After such a long time away, Munro is well aware of the hurdle he faces rebuilding relationships with England's trainers and owners.

"I've been talking to a couple of trainers who I will be riding trackwork for when I get back in anticipation of the opening of the turf [flat] season. It's all about building relationships."

And, he says, about rebuilding his rhythm and fluency.

"My fluency is still a 100 yards away and I'm thinking far too much out there [during a race].

"Obviously there was always going to be a risk to get back to the level I left off at. We'll have to wait and see."

If determination counts for anything, Munro will make it.

"He was badly shaken with two black eyes and a grazed face, but he was back at work the next morning," said Autridge. "He wasn't going to let something like that stop him."

Autridge is looking forward to the possibility of having Munro back at his stable in December and January.

Alan Munro

* The former high profile English jockey rode his second New Zealand winner at Te Aroha yesterday.

* Munro is about to return to England, where he turned his back on race riding four years ago.

* He loves New Zealand and intends returning to ride here during the English winter.