Jockey Ian Sturgeon has never quite received the support he deserves and last Thursday at the Vaal proved this point when picking up three rides originally booked to two of the country’s most sort after riders, Piere Strydom and Anthony Delpech, and bringing all of them home, plus another, to clinch his first career four-timer.
However, the ride everybody was talking about was aboard Kanonkop, whose mere participation was saved by Sturgeon’s act of selflessness as he clung to the rein and managed to stop the horse after it had burst through the stalls and dropped him.
Sturgeon said, “The handler was still holding on to the rein … that is why I usually ask them to rather let it go … so he burst through awkwardly. Luckily I landed on my feet and started hopping next to him. Thank goodness he responded when I asked him to slow down. You can stop a horse, it’s not like it hasn’t happened before, although he is a big horse. He had a little graze on his nose but thank goodness the vet allowed him to race.”
Sturgeon had thus preserved the favourite’s participation in the race.
He continued, “I then thought he might be concussed because he wasn’t really getting into the race. From halfway he got into it and then I couldn’t get a split. Luckily S’manga’s horses rolled off the rail and he went through it and won a good race.”
Kanonkop gave Sturgeon a quick double, after he had won on the second favourite Shelly from an unfavourable low draw in the first. He then clinched a quick hattrick in the third, when getting the favourite Musical Romance up from another unfavourable low draw.
Later, he made it a four-timer when powering clear on the third favourite Nesspresso in the fifth.
He had won more ride to come, but unfortunately the last two races were abandoned.
In analysing the mild mannered Sturgeon’s relative lack of big yard support, he has perhaps been unfortunate to have a phlegmatic demeanour, whilst on the inside being by nature the exact opposite.
However, he has now curbed his habit of being excessively critical of his own riding and said, “It dents your confidence. I am learning not to think about things too much and no longer over analyse. I am talking myself up instead of down.”
Sturgeon still has a burning desire to be Champion Jockey and would like to reach a stage whereby he can be more selective about the rides he accepts.
He is currently forced to take as many rides as possible to covers costs and this has dragged his strike rate down. Whilst he is calculating how a specific race will pan out in order to give him his best chance, a top jockey is doing the same thing with the aim of choosing which ride he is going to take.
Sturgeon also revealed something very interesting regarding “the going” and the false perception among armchair critics that only the best jockeys seem to take special notice of it.
He said virtually all jockeys watch the replays in the jockeys’ room of the races just run, so were acutely aware of where the best going was. However, he added if a jockey was “sitting with a lot of horse you can usually manipulate the situation easier and be where you want to be.” Therefore the more fancied horse usually find the better going. Weaker horses on the other hand are often unable to hold their favourable positions in the running. Armchair critics will invariably blame the jockey for this and it is probably another factor which keeps the lower ranked riders suppressed.
As Felix Coetzee said earlier this week, jockeys find themselves in a catch 22 situation because they need to be rated to be given good rides, but need good rides to be rated.
However, Sturgeon, who is lying in 12th place on the current log with 51 winners, said, “You also have to make opportunities for yourself. The guys who have risen make fewer mistakes, that’s why they get the chances. But if you are confident you do make less mistakes, so you have to try and generate that confidence.”
Sturgeon, who had his first race ride in 2001, gave an inkling of just how deep his resolve is in 2010 when booking himself for a month into the renowned Kenako Golf and Sports Academy in George in order to learn both physical and mental techniques to improve himself as a professional sportsman.
Sturgeon was once stable jockey to Michael Roberts, whom many regard as South Africa’s greatest ever rider, and he still attributes a lot to him.
He said, “Michael basically taught me how to ride. He liked my style and taught me everything about pace. I can’t count like the Hong Kong Jockeys learn to, so do it all on feel, and I have found I get it 99% right.”
Sturgeon feels he has improved since moving to Johannesburg.
He has an astute and passionate racing man on his side in the form of jockey agent Bradley McHardy. Bradley is the son of Rathmor Stud owners Mike and Tanya and is now assistant trainer to Duncan Howells, having previously been a sort after pre-trainer as well as being an accomplished showjumper.
Sturgeon has twice gone close to achieving the breakthrough he desires, finishing runner up in the Vodacom Durban July on Sushisan in 2006 and on Punta Arenas last year.
“Success breeds success,” he concluded and last Thursday he certainly proved he is ready to fill the boots of the top echelon riders.
By David Thiselton
