A combination of dedication and a willingness to travel continues to reward Central Districts jockey Chris Dell.
He is enjoying a lucrative season with 30 winners on the board to be in sight of his previous best of 38 and with prospects to further advance his tally with a strong book of rides at Otaki on Saturday.
“Hard work is paying off and I’m happy with the way things are going and getting the good results,” Dell said.
“I bought a house in Palmerston North so it’s home now and I ride work at Awapuni and went to Foxton this (Thursday) morning to ride a couple of gallops as well.
“I’ll go anywhere if I’m needed. I usually travel into the Taranaki district when there’s jump-outs so have saddle, will travel.”
Dell has also posted a couple of black type victories, courtesy of the now retired Gino Severini in the Group 2 Tauranga Stakes (1600m) and Testify Me in the Listed Hawke’s Bay Cup (2200m).
“I won on Gino as a 10-year-old for Bruce Wallace and Grant Cooksley and I used to work for Grant when I was based up in Auckland,” he said.
“I had a long association with Gino after he came back from Hong Kong and he wasn’t the easiest to ride but I gelled well with him, so it was great to get a Group 2 success.
“I won the Cup on Testify Me for Janelle Millar and she has been one of my main supporters, it’s really good to repay people who have been so good to me.”
Also in that category is Lisa Latta and Dell will continue his strong association with the Awapuni trainer at Otaki.
“Lisa really backs me and I’ve got five for her on Saturday and her team’s really on fire,” he said.
“Coney Island is a very consistent horse, he’s still green though and once the penny drops, he’s going to be a very nice animal.”
The son of Sacred Falls will contest the Odds Surge Every Race At Otaki Maiden (1600m) and has finished runner-up in three of his last four appearances.
Final Chapter (Vets On Riverbank Maiden, 1600m), Prioress (The Tele Otaki Handicap, 1200m), Benefactor (New World Otaki Handicap, 2100m) and Lurid (McMillan Equine Feeds Handicap, 2100m) are his other rides for Latta.
Dell also likes the chances of the Millar-trained Tiny Diamond in the Cavallo Farms & Chris Rutten Bloodstock Handicap (1600m).
“He only got beaten a lip last time and he is really stepping up his game. The first and last races are probably my best two chances,” he said.
Time Test three-year-old Tiny Diamond broke his maiden under Dell at Hawera two starts back and they were then narrowly denied at New Plymouth.
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