Emmett Stack, the Irish jockey who had his first New Zealand win on Thursday aboard Jafa Jack, is hoping for a repeat performance in the Wairoa Cup tomorrow.
"He [Jafa Jack] has only gone up a kilogram so I would be expecting him to go well again," Stack said.
Stack (30) came to New Zealand two months ago and he was having his sixth ride here.
"The flat season was finished in Ireland and because I had my weight under control, I felt it was a good opportunity to come to New Zealand," he said.
Stack is freelancing from Matamata. He is walking at 52kg.
He has ridden 101 winners, including 50 over jumps in Ireland. He is planning to stay in New Zealand for at least 12 months and ride over jumps.
He adopted catch-me-if-you-can tactics with Jafa Jack in the Wairoa Cup Prelude (2100m) and won by two and three-quarter lengths on a heavy track.
Jafa Jack, trained by Shane Hapeta, had his previous win over 1800m at Riccarton in August on a slow track.
Titch is a new rival for Jafa Jack tomorrow. Lisa Whelan is able to claim 2kg for Titch, the topweight with 60.5kg. Titch returned to winning form in the Wairarapa Cup (2050m) on February 6 when he carried 66.5kg with Rosie Myers the rider.
Myers has the mount on Quinn Tait, winner of the Wairoa Cup the past two years. He carried 54kg each time and has the same weight tomorrow.
Sir Slick is back in the Ngatea stable of his part-owner, Graeme Nicholson. The 10yr-old has been placed this season when trained by Jon Sargent.
The winner of 22 races, Sir Slick has been off the winning list since April, 2010.
Hannam sustained a collapsed lung, a broken shoulder, broken ribs and bleeding of the liver after his mount, Tritocatchme, clipped the heels of another runner at the 400m.
He was discharged from Palmerston North Hospital yesterday.
Hannam has won 31 races this season.
• Damien Oliver, the Melbourne jockey, has replaced an injured Darren Beadman on five mounts at Sha Tin tomorrow, AAP reports.
Oliver has the mount on Dan Excel, the least experienced of five horses trainer John Moore has in the Hong Kong Classic Cup. Dan Excel needs to perform well to qualify for the Hong Kong Derby.
Beadman sustained a fractured cheekbone after he was dislodged from a horse in a barrier trial at Sha Tin yesterday.
Oliver has been engaged for Irian in the Hong Kong Gold Cup next weekend.
Brett Prebble, who is third in the Hong Kong jockeys premiership, fractured his collarbone a fall at Sha Tin last Saturday.
• Star Of Show will start in the rating 85 2000m race at New Plymouth today, now that scratchings have allowed him enter the field.
• Katie Cox (21) drove her first winner yesterday when she teamed with Topnotch Lyn at Motukarara. Cox, a junior driver in her first season of competition, was having her 15th drive.
• Scandalman, winner of the Victoria Derby, has been entered for the Northern Derby on March 9.
• Joao Moreira, the Singapore-based Brazilian jockey, has four rides for Patinack Farm stable at Warwick Farm today between meetings at Kranji. He rode at Kranji last night and he will return to take the mount on unbeaten Super Easy in the a group three Three Rings Trophy tomorrow.
Moreira, who has swept all before him since arriving in Singapore in 2009, has had success for Patinack Farm. He rode Trusting to win the Chelmsford Stakes and Hill Stakes and Hussousa (Gimcrack Stakes).
Hussousa is second favourite behind Magic Millions winner Driefontein in the $100,000 Widden Stakes today.
"She is a very good filly," Moreira said. "When I won on her she showed great speed and ran on very strongly."
• Doctor Doom, who had a meteoric rise in the spring, resumes in the Royal Sovereign Stakes at Warwick Farm today.
The Guy Walter-trained gelding is being aimed at the Randwick and Rosehill Guineas and AJC Derby.
Doctor Doom went from winning a midweek maiden at his third start in August to success in the group one Spring Champion Stakes two months later.
"He's always been a horse who has shown us plenty of ability. But to go from being a maiden to a group one winner in his first preparation, it's a big effort for any horse," Walter said.
"Pretty obviously, 1200m is short of his best, but I expect him to run a bold race.
"Importantly, he's adept in wet ground which he will probably need to be."
Manawanui is favourite for the Royal Sovereign with TAB Sportsbet at $2.50 ahead of unbeaten Victorian Moment Of Change at $3.40.
