Englishman riding his luck at Hastings
Experienced horseman James Seivwright knows he won’t have the easiest of rides at Hawke’s Bay today, but with luck on his side he can break his New Zealand duck.
The English jockey will partner the unpredictable Nells Belle in the rescheduled Grant Plumbing Wellington Steeplechase.
Victory would significantly boost Seivwright’s prospects after he came to New Zealand from Australia to rejuvenate his riding career.
“I rode a few winners in England in steeplechases, but injuries set me back and in their summer I went to Australia,” he said.
“I’ve spent the past 18 months there riding trackwork. I did six months with David Hayes at Lindsay Park and Euroa before I worked for Peter Snowden and then nearly a year with Chris Waller as his travelling foreman.
“I missed the jumps racing and when a job came up with Shaun Clotworthy I came over.”
Seivwright will need to turn his fortunes completely around with Nells Belle at Hastings to open his New Zealand account.
“She’s got serious ability so I’m very hopeful with her — if I can stay on,” he said.
The 22-year-old was having his first ride on the Neil O’Dowd-trained mare at Te Aroha earlier this month when they parted company.
“She was going well and I was pretty sure we could have won,” Seivwright said.
“It’s not so much her jumping that’s the problem, it’s on landing when she drops her shoulder and she’s so small she gets in trouble. There’s not a lot you can do about it, even Neil said the same.”
Seivwright isn’t the only jockey who has failed to stay the trip with Nells Belle, who lost rider Shaun Fannin when travelling comfortably in the Hawke’s Bay Steeplechase.
Emma Goodinson has also come off the Istidaad eight-year-old twice this winter, but in between times Nells Belle showed her talent when she was an impressive winner under Fannin at Te Aroha.