Matt Riding 13 in Singapore

Date: 15 May 2013

Matt Riding 13 in Singapore

The Waikato Times Racing Editor Aidan Rodley reports in today's paper on Te Akau stable rider Matt Cameron's big Singapore weekend ahead (Matt flew out yesterday with David Ellis, only 16 hours after his permit was confirmed).


Leading jockey Matt Cameron will have his first taste of Singapore racing this weekend.


Cameron has been booked to ride eight runners at Kranji on Friday and five at Sunday's Singapore Airlines International Cup meeting.


All 13 rides are for Te Akau Racing's Singapore-based former Matamata trainer Mark Walker and include Alpha Centauri in Friday's Singapore-Gr I S$300,000 Singapore Guineas.


‘‘I've never ridden in Singapore before and it's a massive opportunity for me, especially as it's for Te Akau as well,'' Cameron said as he was boarding a plane with Te Akau boss David Ellis in Auckland yesterday.


‘‘Mark approached me a couple of weeks ago and said it was an option. We just had to wait for the licence to come through so I had the all-clear to ride. I got that last night and booked flights last night as well.''


Cameron, 26, is stable rider for Te Akau's Matamata stable under trainer Jason Bridgman and he is currently in equal second place in the jockeys' premiership with 102 wins.


‘‘I can't wait to get into it up there. I've got eight rides on Friday night, including the Guineas, and then five on Sunday on the bigger night,'' Cameron said.


‘‘It's just good to get any rides, let alone eight and five for both days. I've ridden a few of them in New Zealand too, so that helps.''


Cameron hasn't ridden Alpha Centauri before but said he had watched his races and been impressed with that he'd seen.


The Keeper three-year-old gelding has yet to miss a placing in six starts, winning twice and placing in his other four starts.


‘‘I've seen his races and done his videos and he seems to go all right. I'll talk to Mark and find out more but he should be a good ride,'' Cameron said.


Cameron has been granted permission to ride trackwork at Kranji on Thursday, when he hopes to get accustomed to the track.


‘‘Mark's organised a licence just for Thursday morning trackwork, so I'll have a blat around on a few and get a feel for the place, which will be good,'' Cameron said.


Ellis was thrilled that Cameron would get to experience Singapore racing for the stable.


‘‘We are thrilled that Matt has been granted a permit to ride at this weekend's international meeting in Singapore. This is a first for Matt and our Te Akau Singapore trainer Mark Walker was instrumental in making this happen,'' Ellis said.



While the opportunity to ride in Singapore was too good for Cameron to miss, he will be keeping tabs on racing back home, especially on any wins to his premiership rivals Opie Bosson, Mark Du Plessis and Lisa Allpress.


Bosson leads the premiership with 119 wins, 17 clear of Cameron and Du Plessis on 102, while reigning champion Lisa Allpress is two back on 100.


Cameron said winning the premiership remained a key goal for the season.


‘‘I'm in no hurry at this stage. I'm the same number of wins behind Opie at the same stage of the season that Lisa was behind me last season,'' he said.


‘‘Everyone starts slowing up for winter and it's on the cards for me. I know I can do it.''


Allpress remains in premiership contention again, yesterday confirming she was keen to keep up her workload to maintain her fitness ahead of two upcoming international jockeys' series and a stint abroad next season.


Allpress, who takes up a three-month contract to ride in Singapore in September, will join England's Hayley Turner and America's Rosie Napravnik in The Girls' team for this year's Shergar Cup at Ascot on August 10.


The Girls take on Great Britain and Ireland, Europe and the Rest of the World as four teams of the world's top jockeys compete in a six-race series.


America's Gary Stevens, Japan's Yasunari Iwata and Singapore-based Brazilian Joao Moreira will make up the Rest of the World team.


Allpress, 37, described in promotion material for the event as ‘‘the best female jockey that New Zealand has ever produced'', was humbled to receive the invitation and was excited at the prospect of riding in the series.


‘‘It's awesome, really exciting,'' she said yesterday. ‘‘It's a massive opportunity and it's great to be asked to compete. It's an opportunity for me and Karl [husband] to see a different part of the world and for me to be able to ride there.''


Allpress will ride out training one morning with the Godolphin stable at Newmarket. Allpress has previous ridden outside New Zealand in Australia, Singapore, Malaysia and Macau. She has also been invited to ride in an international riders' series at Kuala Lumpar next month.


Meanwhile, James McDonald will also ride at the Singapore Cup meeting on Sunday.

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