Treble indication Atchamah loving time in Christchurch
LAST season’s Champion South Island apprentice jockey Yogesh Atchamah moved to Christchurch at the start of the year, and he is loving every moment.
Atchamah moved to the Garden City to continue his apprenticeship under Riccarton trainer Andrew Carston, and he has enjoyed several career highlights in that time.
In January he rode four winners at Reefton, and at Wingatui on Sunday he went close to matching that achievement when posting a winning treble.
The 28yearold Mauritian began the day in winning fashion aboard the Kelvin Tylertrained Go Lotte in the rating 82 1400m. He teamed up with the Riverton horseman later on the card to score with Albatross in the rating 75 1600m, and then rode the Danny Croziertrained Toblerone to her maiden victory in the 1400m maiden.
“I was very confident when I was going to the races. I thought I could get three wins and I was pleased that I did it,” Atchamah said.
“I rode Go Lotte last time. I told the trainer I would like to be on the horse again and I was confident we could win.
“I knew Danny Crozier’s horse came from up north and it was his second run down south. The other one [Albatross] for Kelvin won by four lengths last time and I was confident they would go well again.”
Atchamah became interested in horse racing as a child, but it was not until he started working as a groom in his homeland that a career as a jockey entered his mind.
“When I was young, I was watching races back home with my father and brother, and then one of my friends took me to the racecourse,” he said.
“I left school at a young age and I told my mum I wanted to work with horses.
“I was working as a groom and then my boss asked me if I wanted to ride. I said yes, and it has gone from there.”
While content pursuing a career as a jockey in his homeland, Atchamah was offered a job with Balcairn trainers John and Karen Parsons via their now cotrainer Vicky Ramhit.
“He was looking for people to work for them and he offered me a job,” Atchamah said.
Atchamah has lived in the wider Canterbury area for the past four years but has now found himself in Christchurch working for leading trainer Carston, and Atchamah said the move has been a great assist to his riding. “I can see the four months since I have worked for him, I have improved a lot. I get a lot of good advice,” he said.
Atchamah said he had also taken confidence from former stable apprentice Kozzi Asano’s success. The former champion apprentice jockey is now plying his trade in the North Island. While Atchamah has ambitions of following in his stable predecessor’s footsteps, he said for now his focus was on outriding his 3kg claim by season’s end. Atchamah has several horses he is looking forward to riding over the next few months to help him achieve that goal, the top of the list being a stable favourite.
“I really like one of Andrew’s called Mogul. He is my favourite horse,” he said. — LOVERACING.NZ News Desk