Top jumps jockey Shaun Fannin hasn’t ridden in many races this season, but when he does, the result is often similar to what panned out at Woodville on Sunday.
A four-time winner of the Jumps Jockey of the Year title, Fannin has won over 160 races in the saddle but more recently, he has turned his focus to training in partnership with Hazel Schofer, with the pair recording 13 winners last term from their base at Awapuni.
However, Fannin has maintained his formidable partnership with Mark Oulaghan’s champion steeplechaser West Coast this year, and his sole ride at the Woodville meeting was set to be aboard another of the stable’s jumpers in Dal Kilchoan (NZ) (Indy King) in the David & Ellen Oliver (4000m).
Sitting in the middle market at $9.40, Dal Kilchoan was settled quietly at the tail by Fannin as the field safely negotiated the first lap of the Open contest, with Raucous and Jakama Krystal setting the tempo. Jakama Krystal was in front and travelling strongly into the fence at the 600m, but she dipped on landing and dislodged rider Lemmy Douglas, leaving a host of runners to fight out the finish.
Dal Kilchoan had been looming up and jumped the final fence slightly ahead of Donardo, just having the better of that runner in the final bounds and took the victory by a half-length, with Captains Run another 1 ¾ lengths back in third.
Fannin was pleased with the performance of Dal Kilchoan, who was bred and raced by Grant Irvine.
“He just tagged along for the first lap and made a bit of ground on the inside with a lap to go,” Fannin said.
“He got on to the better ground after the last down the back and he caught the jump at the 600m really well, that got his momentum up there and he toughed it out really well in the finish, so it was a good result.”
Oulaghan praised the ride of Fannin, while indicating that the son of Indy King will likely have his swansong back at the course in three weeks’ time before retiring.
“It was another good ride from Shaun which you come to expect from him, he rated him well and it certainly helped with the end result,” Oulaghan said.
“The horse plugged away nicely so it was nice to see him get the win.
“He’s a 12-year-old now, so he’ll probably come back and race here in a couple of weeks, then that’ll probably be his lot.”
That victory completed a race-to-race double for Fannin after he picked up the ride aboard Sweet Taboo (NZ) (Turn Me Loose) in the Derm & Sue Congrats For Vegas (4000m), with original jockey Jay Kozaczek being stood down as the result of a fall in race two.
The son of Turn Me Loose had been a perennial bridesmaid throughout his jumping career, with five second placings being rectified in the maiden steeplechase. Fannin positioned Sweet Taboo near the speed through the running and swooped to the lead turning for home, and although he chipped in at the last, the momentum was in his favour, kicking away by 2 ¾ lengths to stablemate Catch And Release.
Sweet Taboo is trained at Wanganui by Kevin Myers, a powerful stable that Fannin has ridden over 100 winners for in his career.
“Obviously there were a few fallers in the hurdle race and Kevin asked me to ride him, so I was more than happy to do that,” Fannin said.
“He’s gets quite green out in front so I was just trying to get a bit of cover on him through the run, but there wasn’t much speed on so he just got in a nice position outside the leader.
“We didn’t have to make up too much ground and he jumped pretty well, he toughed it out too and I’m sure he’s got another win in him soon enough.
“If you know Kevin, he doesn’t give too many instructions other than hurry home, so I just try to go out there and try to put them in a nice position because they usually jump well and are fitter than most.
“I probably don’t want to be riding too much as I’m pretty busy with our training and my focus is with that, but we jump quite a few of ours at home so I’m able to keep my eye in.
“I’m always happy to jump on Kevin’s, we’ve had such a good partnership over the years and you can always say you don’t want to ride anymore, but there’s no bigger thrill than riding a winner.”
The win was one of five for Myers on the card, taking out the Talana Hill (3000m) with Mugshot (NZ) (Echoes Of Heaven) and Flair Amateur Riders (2100m) with Invisible Spirit (NZ) (Charm Spirit) earlier in the day.
His younger contingent also got their time in the spotlight, with three-year-old debutant Cypress (NZ) (Telperion) winning the Coppermine Contracting (1100m), and the lightly-tried Florin (NZ) (Vanbrugh) powering home in the Anne & Michael Beech (1200m), both in the hands of Lily Sutherland.
