Dan Back on Board

Talented young horseman and Te Akau apprentice rider Daniel Miller (17) has returned from a stint in the UK.

Miller spent a couple of months based with trainer Charlie Longsdon at Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire.

“He had eighty in work, all jumpers, and I was riding out and schooling horses,” said Miller.

“I went racing three times to Cheltenham, Newbury, and to the Welsh National in Wales.

The jumping scene over there is massive, a whole different world, and they can have four different jumps meetings on one day.

“I spent a week with Warren Greatrex at the training centre in Lambourn. He only had jumpers and I rode a few gallops and it was good to be there."

Although not meeting him, Daniel was close to and saw the legendary AP McCoy ride. In November last year, McCoy rode his 4000th winner after being name BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 2010.

“I saw him ride heaps of times and was a couple of metres away from him at one stage but I didn't actually get to meet him,” said Miller.

“He's a class above everyone else, really. He out-thinks everyone else, knows what his horse has got left and knows what those around have got left in their horse as well. You just have to watch him to know - him and Ruby Walsh.

“I loved the whole experience, definitely, it was huge. While I was there I went up Wales to stay with Shaun Phelan [NZ jumps jockey] and his partner and rode a few of their point-to-point horses.

“I went to London for a couple of days and while I'm happy to be back it will take awhile to get used to the 3:30am starts again,” said Miller.

Under the guidance of trainer Jason Bridgman, assistant trainer Pam Gerard, and resident jumps' maestro Tommy Hazlett, Miller has made great inroads in his first season over the fences. His first win came on Sept. 2 aboard Goosebumps (Istidaad) in the Maiden Steeplechase over 4000 metres at Paeroa, and he ended the jumps season with two wins, three seconds, and five thirds, from only twenty rides.

Following the win by Goosebumps, Hazlett said: “I was absolutely delighted with the win. Not only for the loyal owners but also young Daniel Miller who shows exceptional skills for a horseman his age. He (Miller) gave him a lovely ride and never panicked when one came up to challenge. In only his first season of jumps riding he looks to have what it takes to have a long and successful career in the game."

Miller is from Te Puke, where his father John runs a pine logging contract business and mother Maree, who runs the farm, has catered the needs of five children (Craig, Adam, Sara, Daniel and Lilly) of which Daniel is the second youngest. Before becoming an apprentice jockey, he competed in the equestrian field for seven years, contesting pony grand prix at the Horse of the Year and last season won the Director's Award, for diligence, at the Waikato Apprentice Jockeys' School Prize-giving. He also has a strong connection to racing through his grandfather Benny Craig, who was a jumps' jockey.