Krishna Mudhoo Brings Up 100

[Chief Stipe]

Jockey Krishna Mudhoo winning his 100th race aboard Red Rose Warrior at Waimate on Sunday.

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Canterbury jockey Krishna Mudhoo kicked off his senior riding career in style at Waimate on Sunday, securing his 100th win when riding home Red Rose Warrior for trainer Neill Ridley.

Mudhoo was excited to have reached the milestone, but admitted to being a bit disappointed he wasn’t able to reach it as an apprentice.

“It was pretty good to get my 100th win on Sunday,” he said.

“I wasn’t actually aware I was approaching it. My riding master, Mr (David) Walsh, told me after the race that it was my 100th winner.

“It was a bit of a disappointment that I couldn’t reach 100 wins while still an apprentice, but never mind, it was good to achieve it on my first day riding as a senior jockey.

The Mauritius-born rider came to New Zealand in 2014 to work for John And Karen Parsons on the behest of good friend and fellow jockey Gosen Jogoo, but didn’t originally have any intentions of riding on raceday.

“I came over here as a track rider,” he said. “One of my friends, Gosen Jogoo, got me a job over here.

“From there I was working for the Parsons and one day they were short of riders, so they asked me to ride at the trials, and it’s just gone from there.”

In his five seasons of riding, Mudhoo said the the Jo-Ann Gordon-trained The Gordonian has given him his biggest moments in racing, including his sole stakes victory to date in the Listed Riverton Cup (2147m) last year.

“Winning on The Gordonian in the Winter Classic was a highlight, and I’ve also won a few cups, including the Riverton Cup with The Gordonian.”

Mudhoo became interested in racing as a child and that passion was passed down to his younger brother Rohan who has also moved to New Zealand to follow a career as a jockey.

“There were horses where I was living, so I always wanted to ride them,” he said. “I got a bit of work and then started riding.

“I was riding track work there before I moved to New Zealand five years ago.”

Being Canterbury-based, Cup Week in November has caught his imagination and he said he would dearly love to win the Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) one day.

“I’d like to get a few good rides during Cup week and the 1000 Guineas has always been an aim for me to win.”

Mudhoo is set to ride in four races at Phar Lap Raceway on Friday and has highlighted Celine and Double Down as his best chances of the day.

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