Horse racing: Jockey premiership title gap grows for sidelined Michael McNab

Michael McNab’s chances of defending the jockey’s premiership title are eroding.

Two growing gaps are eroding Michael McNab’s chances of defending the jockey’s premiership title.

After a rollercoaster season in which he was at one stage 19 wins behind the only other premiership contender Warren Kennedy, McNab clawed his way back to being one in front two weeks ago and was $1.30 to win the title.

Then a giant spanner was thrown into the premiership works when McNab suffered a raceday fall at Te Rapa 17 days ago and he has only had two rides since.

The two-time premiership winner hurt his back in the fall and after missing the first week of rides he returned at Cambridge last Wednesday but only completed two rides before standing himself down because the back was still affecting his performance.

“I thought I was good to go but when it was put under race riding pressure I had a really sharp pain shooting up my back,” McNab told the Herald.

McNab voluntarily stood himself down from all meeting last weekend but that gap between his competitive riding days continues to grow as he will now not be back until at least this Saturday.

“I don’t want to rush back again so I have a plan for this week,” he informs.

“I intend riding trackwork then maybe at the trials and be back riding on Saturday.”

That means McNab will have only have had two rides in three weeks by this Saturday and while that gap grows, so too does that one between himself and Kennedy.

The ex-pat South African heads to tomorrow’s Arawa Park meeting six wins clear (125-119) on the premiership with the option to ride at three meetings before McNab is up and about again on Saturday.

If both men can remain injury and suspension-free for the remainder of the season from Saturday they would have the option of riding at 15 more meetings each before the season ends on July 31.

If McNab is still only six wins behind Kennedy by the time he gets back to the saddle his task would not be impossible but with smaller winter fields and jumps races which neither jockey competes in, he would need to do something remarkable to defend his title.

It doesn’t help that Kennedy, who also suffered a fall three weeks ago but wasn’t as badly injured, is marching relentlessly toward his first New Zealand premiership, rarely missing a meeting and seemingly over his earlier troubles with suspensions.

The TAB market on the premiership, remains closed because of the uncertainty over McNab’s return.

“It is really frustrating and has been annoying me,” says McNab of the setback.

“I felt I was riding really well and had worked really hard to get back on level terms so to maybe have my chance taken away by a fall is hard to cop.

“But I am not giving up yet. I hope things go better this week and I can stick to the plan and then give myself a shot at it but it won’t be easy, I know that.”

The injury may end up robbing New Zealand race fans of a rare premiership battle and the TAB of the unique promotional and betting opportunities that would bring.

While the senior rider’s premiership may be slipping from McNab’s grasp the battle to be New Zealand’s leading young rider has intensified with only two wins separating Niranjan Parmar (48) and Lily Sutherland (46) for the apprentice title.

Parmar still suspended until after this Sunday, so unable to ride again until Cambridge tomorrow week.

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.