Popular hoop’s Welcome win
JAPANESE jockey Shuji Amano delivered another well-calculated ride on Welcome Invader in Launceston on Sunday to register his second win aboard the John Blacker-trained gelding.
While Amano has not reached the lofty heights of multiple premiership-winning Tasmanian jockey Brendon McCoull, who has snared 13 premierships, the 33-year-old from Yokohama has made Tasmania his home since 2004 and he remains one of the most likeable riders in the game.
Until he was legged up on Welcome Invader, the son of Host had been unimpressive in most of his Tasmanian starts.
But after they saluted in a benchmark 62 handicap in Launceston in February, the gelding has been very competitive.
“When I put Shuji on this horse in a race over 1400m in Launceston, he told me he just needed 1600m and the cut out of the ground and he would win,” Blacker said.
“I listened to him and backed the horse up a fortnight later over the mile (1600m) on a rain-affected track and he won.
“This horse just goes great for Shuji and I’m a big believer in the adage, ‘if it’s not broken don’t fix it’, so he has a permanent booking on this horse.”
Welcome Invader makes up 50 per cent of Amano’s winning rides this season, so it is obviously not the winning that is keeping the rider in Tasmania.
“I am very happy doing what I do and if I don’t get many rides it doesn’t bother me,” he said. “I love Tassie, especially in the summer because I like tuna fishing and fishing in general, so by the time trackwork’s finished at 11am, I can relax with my favourite hobby.
“I enjoy riding trackwork and I have been making up to two trips a week to ride work at Longford for the past six months, though I’ve had a lot of commitments at Brighton this past fortnight, so I’ve not had time to go north.”
Industry participants have warmed to Amano’s dry sense of humour and while he has been the butt of more than a few practical jokes, he gives as much as he takes these days.
He has seven rides on the nine-event card in Hobart on Sunday, of which the Blacker- trained Miss Bluegrass appears his best chance in the maiden-class one over 1600m (race 4).
“I won’t be riding any favourites on Sunday and that’s a good thing because there won’t be a lot of pressure on me,” he said. “Of course, I try to win on everything I ride, but if they aren’t short-priced favourites and don’t figure in the finish then I’m not disappointing too many people.”
Amano’s father died two years ago, so he packed up and returned to Yokohama to be with his mother, but a couple of months later he was back in Tasmania.
“I go back to see my Mum every year and she is very happy with that because she wants me to be happy with my life and for me it is here in Tassie,” he said.