Racing: Veteran Rioch gives Myers Waikato jumps double

Rioch and Jo Rathbone win the Waikato Steeplechase. Photo / Trish Dunnell

After six injury and mishap-punctuated jumping starts over nearly four years, Rioch got the big win he deserved with victory in the Porritt Sand Waikato Steeplechase at Te Rapa yesterday.

The rising 11-year-old underlined what a talent jumps racing has been deprived of when he led throughout the incident-packed feature to complete a double for trainer Kevin Myers and jockey Jo Rathbone.

Two races earlier, Rathbone had combined with another member of the Myers team, Sea King, to win the Dunstan Feeds Waikato Hurdles. That was Rathbone's first Waikato Hurdles win and Myers' fourth, while Rioch's steeplechase win was the third for both.

In contrast to her last-to-first hurdle win on Sea King, Rathbone took control of the Waikato Steeplechase from the start, letting Rioch stride along in front and never looking seriously threatened before scoring by 12 lengths over another light on experience, Rosetown Joe.

Rathbone, who grew up in Hamilton, has become one of New Zealand's most successful jumps jockeys. But she gave most of the credit for her latest major win to Rioch rather than herself.

"He likes to bowl along but knowing that Rosetown Joe also does, I wasn't sure how it would work out," she said.

"I've learnt not to fight him, just go with him, and apart from a couple of times when he got in a bit close, he gave me a lovely ride."

Rathbone rode Rioch in a winning debut over hurdles in June 2009 and in his next start, when he won over steeples.

At his next start, in the Grand National Hurdle at Riccarton, young Englishman George Strickland was in the saddle when he went to a huge lead only to crash at the second-last fence.

Broken ribs suffered in that fall and then tendon issues kept Rioch on the sideline for the best part of three years, when he returned with a hurdle win at Paeroa last May. Tendon problems resurfaced, forcing another year's absence, and Rioch lined up in yesterday's race with just one flat under his belt.

"He's been through the mill all right but he's got a lot of ability," said Myers from his Turakina base, having left the northern trip to Rathbone and his travelling head man, brother-in-law Ken Harrison.

In contrast to the Waikato Hurdles, in which all 12 starters completed the course, four of the nine runners failed to finish in the Waikato Steeples.

The first casualty was Morpheus, who fell at the first fence at the top of the lane, followed soon after by his stablemate Zagata, who fell after clipping heels with the third member of the Rogerson stable contingent, Cape Kinaveral. The fourth faller was Izzyolser, when looming as a danger.

-theinformant.co.nz