Reigning South African champion jockey Gavin Lerena said all was well with his Gr 1 Mercury Sprint contender Talktothestars and he also revealed he will not be returning to Hong Kong next season, but will instead be chasing another SA Championship.

Trainer Coenie de Beer was travelling Talktothestars down from the Vaal to Durban yesterday (Wednesday) and the horse will have a canter around Greyville before the big race on Saturday. The four-year-old Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Sprint winner has a tough draw to overcome, but De Beer pointed out wide draws have a good record at Greyville statistically.

Lerena only arrived back from Hong Kong on Monday, so has not been riding the Overlord gelding in work. However, he said De Beer had reported him to be fit and well. Talktothestars is a versatile type. He can use his speed to be up with them, but has a devastating turn of foot, so can also come from off the pace.

The rags-to-riches fairytale horse has been declared to run without shoes as usual and as the probable most travelled horse in the country will not have been affected by yesterday’s journey.

Lerena said about his stint in Hong Kong, “It was a fantastic experience, but it was very tough to break in. All the holes are plugged and the trainers have got their jockeys. But I would love to go back in a year or two’s time when I will know what to expect.”

Lerena said current Hong Kong champion jockey Joao Moreira was so in demand he was effectively controlling the market.

Most Hong Kong races are “class” defined and there are five classes from one to five.

Lerena said in each of these class races there were usually about four horses capable of winning and Moreira would often be offered the ride on all four. After choosing one he apparently often advises the owners of the other three of his willingness to ride their charges in forthcoming races. The owners of these three then often scratch due to this commitment. When this scenario plays out, Moreira’s mount now effectively has what would have been the fifth favourite as the main danger. The competition is thus being taken out of the racing.

Lerena clarified, “I am not saying it happens every race, but I would say about 60% of the time.”

Lerena pointed out even thirteen-times champion jockey Douglas Whyte had been battling to get good rides lately. Other jockeys who are in demand are Zac Purton and apprentice female Kei Chiong and Lerena pointed out the latter was allowed a ten pound claim, despite having previously ridden 43 winners in New Zealand.

Lerena rode five winners in his stint in Hong Kong, which began in late February, and was proud of his place strike rate of 33% considering his lack of opportunities.

He said, “You have to up your game in Hong Kong.” This is due to the level of competition and improvement in many areas is a natural consequence. He pointed out judgement of pace became almost an automatic skill for a jockey who had ridden for a period in Hong Kong.

Lerena is looking forward to partnering Master Sabina in either the eLan Gold Cup or Champions Cup. “I love riding this horse,” he admitted.

He said he had been forced to take Master Sabina back early in the Vodacom Durban July, so was considerably further back than he had wanted to be, but said the Jet Master six-year-old, on whom he landed his second career Sansui Summer Cup, had run on really well in the straight to finish a 3,35 length ninth.

Lerena will head to the UK for the Shergar Cup in August and is hoping to land a few rides in France before coming home to chase the championships.

David Thiselton