McNab rides home first winner

[Wandering Eyes]

Sam McNab will always remember his first winner, with the Cambridge hoop having to agonisingly wait to hear the verdict after a photo finish blunder at Pukekohe on Wednesday.

The recently licenced apprentice was positive from the outset aboard the John Bell-trained Muscovado in the Sistema 2100, pushing his charge forward early from their wide gate, however, they failed to find the front and were parked out three-wide for the majority of the journey.

McNab kept his cool and turning for home he guided his charge to the better footing out wide. They entered a duel with Middle Khan, with the pair going stride for stride down the straight, with little separating them at the finish.

Returning to scale, McNab was told he was the winner, however, his jubilation was short-lived when the judge called Middle Khan the victor.

Upon review, it was found that the judge had mistaken the horses in the photo finish, and subsequently called the incorrect result, which was then corrected.

“The judge called 13, Middle Khan, the winner ahead of Sam McNab’s mount, which was number three, Muscovado,” Stipendiary Steward Brady Jones said.

“Stewards queried the photo with the judge into how he had reached that decision, and it was discovered that he had erred in his decision where he misinterpreted the heads in the official photo of the two horses.

“He falsely declared Middle Khan, the horse on the inside, as the winner but after reviewing the photo and going through stewards footage, the judge has amended his placings with Muscovado declared the winner.”

While anticlimactic, McNab was thrilled to be awarded his first raceday victory within just a few weeks of commencing his apprenticeship.

“They told me I had it and I had my head down on the line,” McNab said. “When I was taking my saddle off they said I ran second, so it was a bit of a waiting process, but we got there.

“It was good to finally find out the result, and I am really happy. It is good to get the first win out of the way.

“I have had a pretty good start, so to get a winner early on is really rewarding.”

Being the son of former top jockey Chris McNab and the brother of premiership-winning jockey Michael McNab, Sam was always destined to follow suit, however, the 18-year-old said he took some persuading to enter the family business.

“I have always grown up around horses, but it wasn’t until the last year-and-a-half that I started working in Tony Pike’s stable and got the motivation from Michael to give it a go,” McNab said. “I hopped on my first horse and went from there.”

McNab is now hoping he can quickly add to his tally when he heads north to Ruakaka on Saturday where he will ride Bad Education in the Croft Poles (1200m) for trainer Joshua King.

“He has drawn wide, but I think his last few starts haven’t been too bad,” McNab said. “He got pushed around a bit, and with an uninterrupted run hopefully he can run well.”

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