Fawcett Rides First Winner

The Informant's Richard Edmunds reports:

Apprentice jockey Jasmine Fawcett broke through for the first win of her riding career when she brought the black-type galloper Zambezi Warrior home for a first-up win in the Mount Shop 1400 at Pukekohe this afternoon.

Riding for her employers Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards, Fawcett had the Pentire gelding back in the field in the $22,500 Rating 75 event before bringing him down the centre of the track with a well-timed run, sailing to victory by two and a quarter lengths.

“It's a really good feeling to get my first win,” Fawcett told www.theinformant.co.nz. “He's a horse I know pretty well, I've ridden him in a couple of gallops to prepare him for this race.

“Jamie told me to take him back, sit and be patient because it's a long straight at Pukekohe and he's got a good finish. It worked out really well.”

The 22-year-old, a niece of 1970s All Black Kit Fawcett, has ridden in 26 races to date in her young career.

Zambezi Warrior, who finished second to The Hassler in the Gr. 2 Championship Stakes at Ellerslie at his most recent start in April, has now had nine starts for three wins, three placings and more than $40,000 in prize-money for his owners the Te Akau 2014 Cups Syndicate.

While the gelding's outstanding first-up win over 1400 metres gave the team plenty to be excited about over the coming months, their clear highlight was Fawcett's first win.

“Thrilled for Jasmine our apprentice's first win,” Te Akau Racing tweeted after the race. “#Proud.”