‘Nabba’ ready to take on big guns and nab some wins
This is what I wanted my career to be like — taking on the best . . . that’s what we ride for. Jockey Michael McNab
Michael McNab might have a little reminder for punters in the opening race of the biggest meeting of the year.
McNab is a two-time New Zealand premiership-winning jockey and sits second to Warren Kennedy this year with a great chance of a three-peat.
But after the heroics of Kennedy (seven wins on New Year’s Day), Opie Bosson (five on Boxing Day), expat hero James McDonald back tonight, as well as Aussie stars Blake Shinn and Mark Zahra setting up camp in the Ellerslie jockeys’ room, McNab will just be one of the boys.
“I’m relishing it, I can’t wait,” says McNab. “This is what I wanted my career to be like — taking on the best there are, that’s what we ride for.
“So I welcome it, it’ll be great to have all those guys here, and the racing will be great.”
These days, McNab is all about winning, and winning is all about preparation, so on a rare day off yesterday, he ran his usual 8km in the summer heat.
“It takes longer some days, depending on how many clothes I wear to get a sweat on. It’s hard when it’s three layers when I’m riding real light.”
That dedication is why McNab can ride Petrucci (R2, No 5) at 53.5kg in the Brighthill Concorde today.
“I think she goes best ridden cold off a fast speed, and if that happens, we can win.”
But they won’t be the tactics in tonight’s opener, the $225,000 Almanzor Trophy, when it is McNab and Merchant Queen who may stand between red hot favourite Crocetti and his usual habitat, the winner’s circle.
If Crocetti strolls to the lead and sets his own terms, he will likely remain unbeaten and multi punters will feel there is nowhere on Earth they would rather be.
But Merchant Queen won the first race on the new Ellerslie StrathAyr two weeks ago and McNab won’t be scared to stay in front and post Crocetti if instructed to.
“She is fast and maybe that’s her best chance of beating him, so I’m not conceding to Crocetti,” he says.
He may not be on a Te Akau favourite in When Stars Align ($18) in the juvenile race but he could surprise if the bigger names go too hard, too early.
“I love Sacred Satono [R5], I think the world of him, but sometimes there can be two versions of him.
“Maybe we can’t beat Legarto, the way she beat us last time, but we can get plenty.”
Add in often luckless Impendabelle (R6, No 11) and the man everybody calls Nabba has a sneaky good book on rides.
“I could have a really good night or not run a place, it’s that type of meeting,” says McNab. “But I can’t wait to get out there and mix it up.”