By Craig Kerry
Group 1 winning New Zealand rider Wiremu Pinn says he is ready to work hard to gain support and carve out a long-term place in the Sydney jockeys’ room.
The 25-year-old, a four-time winner at the top level in his homeland, will have his first rides in Sydney on Saturday at Rosehill, including the job on Chris Waller-trained Speycaster in the listed Lord Mayors Cup (2000m).
Wiremu Pinn returns to scale on Born Hustler after a win at Sandown on June 14, 2023.Credit: Pat Scala/Racing Photos via Getty Images
With the support of Waller, Pinn came to Sydney last week and is keen to turn the winter stint into a permanent move.
It will be Pinn’s second stay in Australia, after he was based in Melbourne for seven months as an apprentice until January 2024. He returned home because his partner, Tayla Mitchell, was denied a licence to also ride in Victoria.
This time, Pinn hopes the pair can both build a career in Sydney. Mitchell is set to join him in a couple of weeks.
“I was happy and I learnt a lot in Melbourne,” Pinn said. “It was a good experience and I think I did pretty well there. I’ve never ridden in Sydney before so I thought I’d give it a try this year.
“New Zealand racing in the winter seems to quieten down quite a lot, and the prize money here is Sydney is still very good. I’m here to work hard and make the most of it.”
Pinn has ridden 40 winners this season, including two group 1s among eight stakes victories. The campaign, though, has also been painful and frustrating at times.
“I had one flip over on me at the trials and I did my back,” he said. “That put me out for a while, then I was galloping one and it pulled its head down for a buck and it pulled my shoulder out of its socket. Then I’ve had a knee injury for a few years that plays up now and then.
“It’s been a shame. I would have ridden a lot more winners this season, the way I was riding. I’ve just had so many injuries and I’ve had a lot of time off.”
His focus was now building connections and momentum in Sydney.
“I’m fit, healthy and ready to go,” he said. “I want to make a good impression and if I do get the support, hopefully I’ll stay for longer. I believe 90 per cent of being a good jockey is riding good horses. It doesn’t matter if you’re James McDonald or an apprentice who hasn’t had a ride before, if you are on a good horse, you are more of a chance to win.
“It’s just about getting support, and I’ll spread my wings and work hard, and see who wants to give me rides.”
Pinn starts his push with Lenape Vibe ($41) in the sixth and Speycaster ($61) in the feature Lord Mayors Cup, both for Waller. He also picked up the ride on Matt Dale-trained Acappella Sun ($19) in the last.
“On these wet tracks, anything can happen,” he said of Speycaster, one of three Waller runners in the listed race. “I’ve very competitive and I’ll be trying, don’t worry about that. Lenape Vibe, it will probably need the run, but the one in the last is probably my best chance.
“I’m looking for a manager, so it’s been a bit of a slow start, but I’m sure it will only take that one winner for trainers to see how I ride and hopefully I’ll get a few more. Especially with these better riders heading to Queensland for the carnival, there are more opportunities for us young fellas.”
Zac Lloyd rides King Of Thunder to victory at Rosehill Gardens on March 15.Credit: Getty Images
Trainer Tom Charlton hopes Derby contender can prove him wrong
Randwick trainer Tom Charlton didn’t imagine Maison Louis joining main stable hope King Of Thunder as a chance in the Queensland Derby (2400m).
That was before the pair hit the line strongly together in third and fourth last start in the group 3 Rough Habit Plate (2000m). Now Charlton believes Maison Louis could prove him wrong.
Charlton, a co-trainer with John O’Shea, will chase his third group 1 win when King Of Thunder ($9.50 Sportsbet) and Maison Louis ($19) tackle the staying test on Saturday at Eagle Farm.
King Of Thunder has long been on a path to the race for three-year-olds after finishing a close third in the group 2 Tulloch Stakes and fifth in the group 1 ATC Derby over the Sydney autumn.
Maison Louis, though, jumped into consideration off a 1900m benchmark handicap win at Canterbury on April 21, which followed maiden and class 1 wins at Goulburn over 1500m and 1600m. He should hold a forward position under Ben Melham with a draw in gate four.
“King Of Thunder obviously has had a lot more racing experience at this level,” Charlton said. “He probably seems like the more natural stayer out of the two and Maison Louis, it’s all sort of happened in his first campaign. He’s taking his racing very well, but we’re yet to try him at this trip.
“Off his last run, you’d be very confident that he would handle the distance. I personally thought he was never going to be a strong stayer, so let’s hope he can prove me wrong. I thought he was more a 2000m horse, but I guess three-year-olds at this grade, they can probably get a bit more forgiveness at that trip.
“He’s just progressed more and more with each race. We gave him a little break after he went to Canterbury, and he’s answered all the questions he’s been asked.”
King Of Thunder (Mark Zahra), third in the Rough Habit, has barrier 14. Charlton and O’Shea also have Candlewick in the group 3 Fred Best Classic (1400m).
“She probably showed a bit of inexperience in the Hawkesbury Guineas [when sixth],” he said. “Just probably took the wrong option of going inside the eventual winner, and she ended up rolling down off the fence to the inferior ground.”
