Chowdhoory keen for more successs at Riverton
WELLINGTON: Canterbury apprentice jockey Kavish Chowdhoory is hoping the form that carried him to his his first stakes win, aboard Live Drama in the Memorial Great Easter Stakes at Riccarton on Saturday, carries over to his rides at the Riverton Racing Club meeting tomorrow.
‘‘It was good to get my first stakes win,’’ he said.
‘‘She [Live Drama] is a nice horse and she was a bit unlucky in her previous race.
‘‘I was a little bit confident heading into the race and she was looking for the 1400m as well,’’ he said.
‘‘She was a bit slow out [of the gates] and got a bit further back than I was anticipating.
‘‘From there she was travelling really well. I stuck to the fence and she was doing it pretty easy to get a nice win.
‘‘I have had a few [stakes] placings and it is always something I have wanted to do, get a stakes win.’’
Hailing from Mauritius, Chowdhoory was not intent on becoming a jockey until moving to Australia.
‘‘It was not until I was about 20 that I decided I wanted to be a jockey,’’ he said.
‘‘Back home I used to help in the stables. I moved to Sydney when I was 19 and I went to riding school there and worked there for about six years.
‘‘Richard Collett [trainer] always said to me that if I wanted to come over here I would do well.
‘‘I then decided to give it a go here. Richard gave me my first win and he has been a really big help.
‘‘I am apprenticed to Michael Pitman. They have always backed me and been really supportive.
‘‘I am a few winners off riding 100 winners for the stable and that is something I would like to tick off.
‘‘They have been really good to me — they are like my family here.’’
Chowdhoory has not been able to visit his family since the start of the pandemic and says he is looking forward to travelling home in the coming months.
‘‘With Covid I haven't been able to see my family,’’ he said.
‘‘I will ride until winter and then I will look to take a break. I haven't had a break for the last three years, I have just been working.
‘‘I am looking forward to going back for a month or so.’’
In the interim, Chowdhoory is focused on his next rides at Riverton.
The 30yearold will have five rides on the eightrace card, including two for Michael and Matthew Pitman — Whale Song in race 2 and Lennon in race 5.
‘‘Whale Song has been going some nice races lately and I think Riverton will really suit him.
‘‘He needs a bit of cut in the ground, so I think he is a winning chance,’’ Chowdhoory said.
‘‘Last start he carried 60kg and ran third.
‘‘He gets a big drop in weight (to 55.5kg), which will help. He is my best ride of the day.
‘‘Lennon is a horse that likes to go forward and keep rolling. He likes a bit of cut in the ground as well and I think he is a topthree chance.’’
Chowdhoory will also have rides for dualisland trainer Stephen Marsh on Philote in race 6 and Deels Done in race 7.
Deels Done is resuming, having last raced in October.
‘‘I have won on him before and I am expecting a bold run from him freshup over 1400m.’’
Chowdhoory will close out the meeting aboard Red Sunday in race 8, the last race of the day, for North Canterbury trainer Paul Harris‘‘Red Sunday has been going some really good races without winning,’’ he said.
‘‘He went well on Saturday [sixth at Riccarton Park] in an open handicap and dropping back in class I think will be a topthree chance.’’ — NZ Racing Desk