Jockey Karl Zechner has matured tremendously in the tough profession he has chosen and the Triple Crown hopeful Abashiri could take this once virtually forgotten about rider to the next level.

Zechner believes there is a still a lot more to come in both his and Abashiri’s career, so it is exciting times.

Zechner said it was the move to Johannesburg half-way through 2012 which helped his career turn around.

However, before that an eight month stint in New Zealand in 2009 riding for the small string of owner John Carter also helped his riding, despite the sojourn only yielding two winners.

He said, “It’s very different out there, it’s very rough, they don’t give an inch and I learnt a lot about placing a horse. It’s wet and the ground is often sticky, so the going becomes very important, you had to know where it was best on the day.”

His tactical nous improved as well as his understanding of racing due to the many people he met from a country passionate about the sport.

In Johannesburg Zechner was given a lot more opportunities. He had a big win on the Saeed Mohideen-trained Zambucca in the Gr 2 Victory Moon Stakes of 2012, a race he was to win again in 2014 aboard the Tyrone Zackey-trained Judicial.

On New Year’s Day 2013 Zechner was reunited with Royal Zulu Warrior, who amazingly returned from a layoff of nearly two years to win the Gr 3 Lebelo Sprint at Turffontein. Zechner had ridden this horse to respective nine length and six length victories over 1200m at Clairwood back in December 2010 and regarded him as the best he had ridden until climbing aboard Abashiri.

Zechner began rising up the National Jockeys log and this was helped further when his travels to Port Elizabeth culminated in a lethal partnership with trainer Dorrie Sham.

From the doldrums of the 2011/2012 season, when riding just nine winners, he broke into the top 20 last season, riding 71 winners and finishing 14th on the log. On top of that his 17 winners at Borrowdale saw him crowned Zimbabwean Champion Jockey. This term he has broken into the top ten in South Africa and is currently in 8th position. He drew level with his record of 71 winners in a season on Friday at Fairview when riding the Yvette Bremner-trained Copper Parade to victory in the Listed East Cape Sprint Cup. His strike rate, with still over four months of the season remaining, has improved to 10.58%.

Zechner, who is known for his strength, has always admired top riders like Piere Strydom, Jeff Lloyd and Anton Marcus and their professionalism has rubbed off on him.

He studies every race he is going to be riding in, so will know which is the horse to follow and where both the pace and the dangers will be coming from. The going is often paramount and he always tries to position himself on the right side as early as possible.

His agent Desmond Zackey and wife Lauren have also played big roles in maintaining his career on an upward curve Zechner is one of three jockeys who could probably count themselves as stable jockey to the ever more powerful yard of Mike Azzie. He said, “I share the rides with JP (van der Merwe) and Callan (Murray). Mr Azzie puts on the riders which suit the horse best.”

Zechner used to help Azzie out on the training tracks at Summerveld during the Champions Season and the favour is now being returned.

Zechner describes the Go Deputy gelding Abashiri as a very professional horse, who can correct minor mistakes made by a jockey. He is a tough horse too and wasn’t phased by the bumps and squeezes he received early in the Gauteng Guineas. The mile is too short for him, so Zechner asked him to unwind early in the straight, not wanting to be caught flat footed. This decision turned out to be spot on.

The giant-striding bay will relish the 1800m trip of the Gr 1 SA Classic and should get the SA Derby trip of 2450m.

Zechner said, “We have a tough couple of weeks in front of us, although he is an easy horse to work with. He wants to get to the track, but once he’s there he relaxes and enjoys his work. Like most good horses he reserves his best for the races.”

Abashiri is fast becoming the darling of the public and Zechner concluded, “He has opened doors for me, these are the horses you want to try and get on. I’m very fortunate, he is very smart and he is young, so is only going to progress.”

By David Thiselton