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Mark Zahra will join fellow Australians James Winks and Brad Rawiller to make it an all-Victorian team for Australia at the International Jockeys’ Weekend in Mauritius on December 3 and 4 this year.
While Winks is one of six expatriate jockeys riding on the Indian Ocean racing-mad island, and got the nodon the basis of his overall solid performance – fifth on ladder on 15 winners from 85 rides - at the Mauritius’ sole racecourse, the Champ de Mars,Rawiller will be at his first Mauritius riding experience.
And so is Zahra, who was onlyconfirmed this week,bringing up the international line-up of riders to 12. The other nine riders hail from seven countries namely France (Maxime Guyon), Spain (Ioritz Mendizabal), Ireland (Martin Harley)Swaziland (Sean Levey),South Africa (Donavan Mansour and Bernard Fayd’Herbe), India (Pradeep Singh Changan) and Mauritius (Rai Joorawon and Swapneel Rama).
Australia has long been a staple at the annual 31-year-old Mauritius event with top names like Brent Thomson, Kevin Moses, Shane Dye, Damien Oliver, Hugh Bowman and Nash Rawiller, to name a few, all winning races. The only ones to have won the overall title (based on a point system) are Chris Munce (2002) and Noel Callow (2007 and 2012), while Bowman and Rawiller won the team title.
Meanwhile, Winks is gearing up for his last meeting this Saturday, and was at trackwork on Thursday riding a handful of horses for his boss Patrick Merven.
The Victorian jockey was rapt with his first Mauritius season – or half-season as he only joined in July after his predecessor Callow was suspended and dismissed – and couldn’t wait to renew the experience next year.
“It’s been a long season and we have only 20 horses left in work. I’ve ridden a winner in the last five weeks, and I couldn’t happier with that,” said Winks as he took a coffee break while the sand training track was getting rolled.
“I’m in the Top 5 and I hope I can stay there by the end of this Saturday’s last meeting counting towards the premierships.
“Pat is a gentleman and is always open about everything. It’s been a pleasure working with him.
“We worked off each other and on raceday, he doesn’t tie me down to any instructions.
“I’ve ridden in Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia and I’m always looking for somewhere else to ride in before I get too old. The Mauritius job came at the right time this year after I knocked it back a few times before, and I’ve really loved it.
“It’s a great place to ride at, my family is here and the beaches are fantastic, though it can get a bit boring at times and we’re away from home.
“We can’t have everything and it is what it is, but it’s been all in all a great place to ride at and I’m looking forward to coming back for Patrick next year.
“When I get back in Melbourne, I will enjoy Christmas with the family and resume riding mid-January. I will probably ride trackwork for Godolphin for John O’Shea as I’ve had a bit of luck with them before I left.”
To Winks, the gig in the International Jockeys’ Weekend will be a great way to cap his memorable season, but he is not treating it as just a holiday reward - he’s in it to win it.
“The international meeting will be a great opportunity to represent a bit of both Australia and Mauritius, as the Mauritius chose me to represent them based on my performance,” he said.
“It’ll be great to ride against Brad and Mark. They’re both good mates and two very good riders, but on the track, we will be tough competitors.
“I have the advantage of knowing the track well, the horses here and some of my opponents, whereas some of the jockeys will be at their first meeting. Hopefully that inside information and a bit of luck at the draw for rides can give me a few wins.”
