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Stephen Baster may have taken a little longer than fellow Melbourne jockey James Winks to get off the mark in Mauritius, but what really mattered to him was to finally have that all-important first winner on the board on Saturday.
Baster made his riding debut on the Indian Ocean island on the same day as Winks on July 2. But while Winks made a dream start with two winners, Baster drew blanks at that meeting as well as the next, having to wait until his third meeting at his very last ride – his 15th – to finally get a taste of his first Mauritian win aboard 6-1 shot Captain’s Cronicle.
A winner of over 1,300 races, Baster also has three placings under the belt, including a 0.8L second aboard Parachute Man in the Group 1 Renault Mauritius Derby Cup (1850m) on Saturday.
Unlike Singapore or Hong Kong, expatriate jockeys ride on a retainer in Mauritius. Baster rides for former South African-based Durban July Handicap-winning trainer Ricky Maingard while Winks - who also rode a winner (Fyrkat, interestingly the same horse his predecessor Noel Callow copped a three-month ban on) on Saturday to bring his tally to three - is retained by trainer Patrick Merven.
As such, the lifespan of a job for expat jockeys often hinges on their performances in Mauritius. But Baster, who did gain some exposure as a stable jockey in Melbourne where he rode for the Wadham Park for four years and as a freelance jockey in gambling-orientated Singapore, Hong Kong and Macau, has remained cool in spite of the mounting pressure.
“The track (Champ de Mars) took a few weeks for me to adjust, but it’s all right now,” said Baster.
“The trainer is fantastic, his foreman Nic Dupavillon, who used to work for Chris Waller, is great and the owners have been amazing, which helps when the winners are taking a while to come through.
“It was my first time riding the winner (Captain’s Cronicle) but he gave me a good feel in trackwork. I watched some of his race replays and I was told the best way to ride him was to bounce him out from his good gate.
“The horse enjoyed a soft lead and we were able to go all the way. It was a fantastic feeling, especially here where they really cheer you home and all the way back to the scales.”
Baster said the other main draw to the stint in Mauritius was the warmer climate. Though it is winter time there, it’s still warmer than freezing Melbourne.
“The weather is fantastic compared to Australia at this time of the year,” said Baster whose accommodation is close to the island’s pristine coastline, and only 20 minutes from the track.
“But I will be back home soon as my wife Melissa is due to give birth to our second child in August. For now, I am enjoying my stay in Mauritius and now that I know the track and my horses better, I will try to ride as many winners as possible.”
