Johnson eyes first Group 1 win at Ellerslie before NZ exit
If you like your jockeys full of confidence heading in to one of the biggest days of the racing season, then Danielle Johnson is the rider for you at Ellerslie today.
New Zealand’s glamour girl of the saddle is coming off a rare Group race treble at Te Rapa three weeks ago, and looking to repeat the feat at Ellerslie’s mega meeting which boasts six blacktype races and the return of crowds to the home of Auckland racing.
Johnson will turn up there with her trademark smile even wider than usual for a book that includes two of her Te Rapa treble in Cheaperthandivorce and Wolverine, as well as Gold Watch in the Rich Hill Mile and a strong support card. She likes how the day is stacking up.
“I have some great rides and I couldn’t be happier with Cheaperthandivorce,” says Johnson. “I worked her on Tuesday and she felt great. She is ready to go again.”
Cheaperthandivorce won the Waikato Cup last start and is a hot favourite for the City of Auckland Cup, for which she is better off in the weights. Cheaperthandivorce carried 57.5kg at Te Rapa and just beat Starrybeel carrying 54kg, but today, they carry the same 53kg weight over the same distance on a similar track surface.
It is hard to make a case for any of those who finished behind Cheaperthandivorce last start beating her home but there is still the question mark of her stablemate Concert Hall.
She had no chance from last in a muddling Zabeel Classic on Boxing Day but her late sectionals were great and she could be aided by the small field, as any lack of tempo will play into her class edge. It wouldn’t surprise to see Concert Hall pull to the middle of the track at the 300m mark and charge hard, so she is the one Johnson will need to be looking for.
Johnson rides what could well be her Karaka Million mount Wolverine in the $120,000 Eclipse Stakes, as the filly makes her first trip to Ellerslie, which has caught many a young horse out.
“I don’t think that will be a factor for her because she was very sensible and ran through the line hard at Te Rapa,” says Johnson.
“I know I Choose You [trained by partner Jamie Richards] pretty well and she will be hard to beat, but if I had the choice, I’d choose my filly.”
Johnson is loving being part of the Gold Watch story, as his light weights have made it impossible for regular rider Jonathan Riddell to ride the horse as he steps into the big time.
“Jonathan was really good to me before I rode Gold Watch last time and told me he might come off the bit on the turn but to wait for him to balance up in the straight and his brain to catch up to his legs,” says Johnson.
“That was exactly what happened, and when I got him balanced and went for him, he won pretty easily. So I am really looking forward to being on him.”
Johnson finds herself in the unusual position today of riding against her favourite mare Entriviere, who she has ridden in all but one of her New Zealand starts, but Te Akau’s retained rider Opie Bosson gets on for the $240,000 Railway today.
That puts Johnson on the talented Roch N Horse, but may deny her one of her career goals before she possibly ends her time here in the saddle at the end of the season to move to Hong Kong with Richards.
“I have never ridden a Group 1 winner at Ellerslie and I’d love one of those before I go,” she says.
Entriviere has been heavily backed to win the Railway, in to $1.90 and heading further south from an opening quote of $2.30, pushing Levante out to $2.70 and drifting in a superstar race to start 2022.