‘He was like a brother to me’
Tributes are flowing for a talented horseman and ‘‘likeable little bugger’’ following the death of Grand National winning jumps jockey Cody Singer.
The Wairarapa-based Singer, who rode Cape Kinaveral to victory in the 2012 Grand National Steeplechase, died on Tuesday, aged 26.
Masterton police confirmed a Wairarapa man had died suddenly on Tuesday. There were no suspicious circumstances and his death has been referred to the coroner.
Fellow jockey and close friend Matt Mcnelis has been left devastated by Singer’s death.
‘‘He is such a positive person, he has a real spark to him, a spring in his step. It’s like he has the ability to make everyone smile.
‘‘He was such a likeable little bugger.
‘‘They broke the mould when they made him,’’ Mcnelis said.
The pair have been friends for well over a decade and have lived together on and off during last eight or nine years.
Mcnelis said Singer’s parents, family and friends were understandably distraught.
‘‘He was like a brother to me,’’ Mcnelis said.
The charming but cheeky Singer was always full of banter.
‘‘He always had a one liner to put you in your place,’’ Mcnelis quipped.
Singer, who was still riding trackwork, was forced into retirement from race day riding in late 2014 following a serious head injury.
As much as he would have loved to keep riding, Singer was comfortable with the decision to retire on medical advice, Mcnelis said.
His love for horses did not diminish. He took on a role as a huntsman and was involved in breaking in horses and working with sport horses under his Singer Equestrian banner.
‘‘He was a very talented horseman and he had a way of clicking with horses that other people would put in the too hard basket. He took a lot of satisfaction out of that,’’ Mcnelis said.
Singer first started as an apprentice at Pukekohe with Richard Collett but had spent most of the last decade in Palmerston North and the Wairarapa.
Mcnelis will ride Fusion in race five at Woodville today and will wear a black armband in honour of his friend.
‘‘If I didn’t ride tomorrow Cody would probably be s **** with me for taking the day off,’’ Mcnelis quipped.
Singer rode 36 winners in a career that began back in the 2005/06 season. He still cherished his biggest wins, mostly over jumps, and was proud to display the photos to prove it.
In 2014, Singer rode a notable double aboard Just Got Home.
The pair combined to win the then Prestige Hurdle at the Pakuranga Hunt meeting and the Wellington Hurdles.
Singer’s other prestige wins include his 2010 Wellington Steeplechase victory aboard Brushman and his 2012 Waikato Hurdles win on Borrack.
‘‘When he finished with racing it was his dream job to become a huntsman,’’ Mcnelis said.
Charles White, joint master of Wairarapa Hunt Inc, described Singer has an enthusiastic and popular member of the hunt scene that would be sorely missed.
‘‘This has really come out of left field. He had completed his first season with us and he had all the makings of someone who could have a real crack at it,’’ White said.