Portia Matthews didn’t believe a Jump Jockeys’ Premiership title was even a possibility twelve months ago, but a phenomenal season in the saddle has put any self-doubt firmly to rest.
Based with master trainer Mark Oulaghan at Awapuni, the 26-year-old had her first full season riding last term and came away with five winners, a total she more than doubled to finish with 14 winners and a pair of prestige victories in her tally this season over the jumps.
“I went into this season with no particular goals, I didn’t think winning the premiership would even be possible,” Matthews said.
“My main goal was just to improve my riding and get better and more consistent, I was falling off a lot last year which was tough as I take a lot of pride in turning up and being professional.
“I’ve got lovely horses with Mark Oulaghan, I can’t thank him enough for his support because I believe over half of my wins this year have come from him. He’s been an outstanding person in my corner the way through.
“For me, the premiership is more about how far I’ve come. I’m not someone who has always had a lot of belief in myself and my ability to ride, my biggest fear with riding on race day was disappointing people.
“It feels like a tick in the box that I am good enough to be here and I can do this. Now that I’ve done it once I don’t feel like I need to do it again, but we’ll see what happens.”
Oulaghan’s star hurdler Berry The Cash has played an instrumental role in the success of Matthews this season, with their five wins as a combination including the highlight of her career to date, the Grand National Hurdles (4200m).
“The Grand National was everything for me. A lot of people probably don’t know this, but in the three meetings leading up to it, I had four falls,” Matthews said.
“I had zero confidence in myself, I was doubting whether this was the career for me and I felt like it was the universe telling me so. My body was sore and I was struggling to have much faith, but Mark had every faith in the world in me.
“I thought I had ridden the Sydenham really poorly on Berry The Cash for third and I was called into the stipes room because they thought I had not ridden with enough vigour and in reserve.
“Going into the National, I told myself, if Mark thinks I can do this then I can, and that race changed the course of my career in such a massive way.
“I would not be the rider I am today without that win.
“After he won that, that horse owes me nothing. Every win that has come since has just been icing on the cake, I never expect anything from him and I’m so thankful for everything he has done for me.”
Matthews and Berry The Cash will return to Riccarton Park over the next fortnight aiming for a defence of their National title, while she has also secured rides in the feature Grand National Steeplechase (5500m) and the undercard hurdle event.
“I’m on Berry The Cash in the hurdle, he’ll carry the topweight of 73kg which just slightly more than at Hastings,” Matthews said.
“I learnt a lot from that run, I didn’t ride it exactly how I should’ve so I’m going into the National knowing that we’ll both always do our best and if it pays in our favour, that’s perfect.
“I’m on Lucy de Lautour’s nice horse Donardo in the open steeplechases, she has been a quiet supporter of mine right from the start. I thank her a lot because she kept putting me back on when I wasn’t riding very well.
“Semper Magico is also in the 0-1 hurdle on the second day and he’s an exciting wee horse. A couple of years ago I schooled this horse when I first started at Mark’s, and I told him that if he jump raced, I won’t be riding him because the jumping was such a negotiation.
“He went into them full tear, he wouldn’t concentrate and back then, I wasn’t skilled enough to handle him. It’s taken some time to get him at the stage to go to the races, but he’s shown now he’s a serious contender over the hurdles.
“He’s turned into a lovely horse that I am lucky enough to pinch from the flat races when I can, as we still feel he has plenty to offer in that role as well.”
Behind every success story is a solid support system and for Matthews, there have been several key figures along the way.
“My parents have been amazing, everyone knows my mum at the races as she travels far and wide to be there for me. She’ll be coming down to Christchurch for the week, she’s actually been down to every National so far,” she said.
“She’s been my number one since day one and she knows how to support me mentally when I get in my head about the races, I can’t thank her enough.
“I got a lot of help from Buddy Lammas early in the season, he helped with my high weight riding and learning how to ride out a finish, which also helped me develop more of a style on the horse.
“I thought that was really important because I was never a natural-looking rider growing up going through pony club and things. I take a lot of inspiration from Aaron Kuru, I’d love to be able to follow in his footsteps in that regard.
“Shelley Houston has also been another massive role model of mine, she’s helped me get involved in the jumps racing community. Although this (the premiership) was never the goal, it came about without me focussing on it because I was trying to better myself and I was trying to emulate these riders as much as I could.
“Jess and Peter Brosnan helped me so much in the early days as well, I would have been out there every week schooling anything and everything they had to improve my jumping and eye. They’ve been consistent supporters of mine from day zero and are an asset to the jumps community.
“Also to the team at Oulaghan Racing, they are an awesome bunch of girls that work so hard and carry out every bizarre request I have of them. We wouldn’t be able to produce the jumpers and results we do without the team at home, they’ve been a key role in my success and the success of the Oulaghan horses.”
After a win aboard Lochwinnoch at Waverley on Sunday, Hamish McNeill finished in second position in the Premiership with ten wins, while Dean Parker’s double took him into third place with eight.
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