Dan's the Man

A proud family at Te Rapa gathered to cheer Dan on ... back row grandparents Marlene and Ernie and front (from left) sister Lilly, mum Maree, Dan and dad John - photo Trish Dunnell.

Te Akau apprentice rider Daniel Miller (17) had a terrific result on Saturday at Te Rapa, when successful aboard both his jumping mounts.

In the Porritt Sand Hurdle over 2800 metres, he worked the sometimes awkward Sea King (7 g Shinko King - Ocean Princess, by Prince of Praise) into a lovely trailing position on the rail and once clear approaching the last at the 120m he dashed home to win stylishly.

“I was very happy with the way the horse relaxed,” said Miller. “He wasn't as bad as I thought he was going to be. I sort of got him to half settle; his jumping was fantastic and he was way too good for them.
Had he got out sooner, he would have run away by even more.

Aboard Snowdroptwinkletoes (7 g Mediator - Anky, by Heroicity) in the Ken & Roger Browne Memorial Steeplechase (4000m), Miller settled the favourite a clear last but had the grey into his work and chasing down his rivals nearing the home turn before running out a dominant winner.

“He's quite a funny horse to ride,” said Miller. “You can't do too much on him, just try and get on a long rein and I was told to ride him cold out the back. I let him do what he wanted to do and as we started to quicken his jumping improved considerably. The last four jumps when I asked him to quicken up, he really flew them. But, easy out the back he just plodded over them and just does enough to get over [the fences].

“It's a good thing really, as you're trying to save energy early on,” said Miller of the jumping style shown by Snowdroptwinkletoes.

A talented horseman and valuable asset to Te Akau, as a track work and trial rider, Miller gained his first victory on the Te Akau trained Goosebumps (Istidaad) last September in a 4000-metre chase at Paeroa, and around Christmas time spent a couple of months based with jumps trainer Charlie Longsdon in the U.K.

Before becoming an apprentice jockey, Miller 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.

Miller has now ridden six winners, continues to grow in confidence, and steps out again next Thursday at Wanganui. He is booked to ride I'm Isaac (Istidaad) in the hurdle and Authentic (High Chaparral) in the steeplechase.