Mitchell jumping to prominence
MICHAEL MITCHELL seen a summer for a while.
The Englishman has experienced a succession of winters in his quest to make a name as a jumps jockey.
Mitchell, 23, is in his third winter in New Zealand, working for Hamilton trainer Graeme Rogerson, and has spent the past two northern hemisphere winters in France.
He has had only one race ride in France, in a hurdle race at Bordeaux, but has done plenty of schooling.
Mitchell schooled horses for Guillaume Macaire, who won 262 races in 2013 and has been the leading jumps trainer in France for the past 11 years.
“He has 150 jumpers in work, so he’s not a small trainer,” Mitchell said. “It [working in France] has been about getting more experience.
“To keep progressing, you have to ride as many horses as you can. The more you ride, the more you learn.”
Mitchell’s results this winter suggest he is learning quickly.
He has had five wins over fences this month alone and a hurdle win at Wingatui yesterday, on Supercharged, took him to the top of the jumping riders’ premiership.
He and Mathew Gillies have won nine races over fences this term, with Isaac Lupton, the 2013 premiership winner, one win adrift in third place.
Mitchell has also been the busiest jumps rider this season and has a good book – Back In Black, Hunters Creek, Zenocoin, Montopoli and Wotabuzz – for the big jumping meeting at Hastings tomorrow.
Wotabuzz is equal second favourite for the $50,000 Hawke’s Bay Steeplechase (4800m) and Zenocoin is at single-figure odds in an even field for the $50,000 Hawke’s Bay Hurdles (3100m).
Wotabuzz, an accomplished hurdler, made a winning debut over country, when ridden by Mitchell, at Trentham on June 7. Mitchell has stuck with him this weekend, ahead of Cape Kinaveral, another last-start winner.
“I was impressed with Wotabuzz at Trentham and he’s still at a
hasn’t after finishing second at his one previous hurdle attempt. That was in September 2012 and he did not race last year. He has had one flat race this preparation and had a hurdle trial earlier this month.
Montopoli goes into the maiden steeplechase after finishing second to Mister Deejay at Awapuni last start.
“I was pleased with him at Awapuni,” Mitchell said. “He jumped nicely and ran on well.”
Zenocoin, Cape Kinaveral and Montopoli are all trained by Graeme Rogerson, who will also run Radinka in the maiden steeplechase. “All our horses are fit and near the top of their game,” Rogerson said.
“Cape Kinaveral has dropped down in the weights and he will run a race. Zenocoin had a little setback earlier in the year, when he whacked a leg, but he trialled well and he’s a real good horse.
“Montopoli will run a good race and Radinka might be the hardest for him to beat.”