I’m delighted to have young gun apprentice Sam Weatherley aboard Vitesse at Te Rapa on Sunday for the Challenge No.4 Syndicate.
I have watched his development since he had his first ride at Arawa Park in the mud on Rotorua Cup Day in May. Craig Thornton kindly gave him that first ride and I have to say the 17 year old’s progress since then has been remarkable. Not only does he have natural balance and ‘feel’ but he is developing his skills/technique by the week.
Mind you, I shouldn’t be surprised – dad (Darryn) was a jockey, so was grandad (Dan). What’s more his boss is Lance O’Sullivan (12 NZ Jockey Premierships) and his riding master is Noel Harris, one of the most naturally-gifted jockeys I’ve observed in my long career in this industry.
I watched Vitesse (Makfi ex Keepa Cheval, by Keeper) gallop at the Cambridge Training Centre this morning. Shaune Ritchie’s stable foreman Noel Waddell rode the mare and said she felt good but wasn’t suited by the rain-affected going. The close relative of Champion galloper Mufhasa will only run on Sunday if the track is in the Good or Dead range.
A special family photo - Dan, Sam & Darryn Weatherley