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Do jockeys count?

Ford takes up NZ challenge
Warwick Barr
Monday, 24 September 2007

Royal Ascot winning jockey Jay Ford will base himself in New Zealand until some normality is restored to Sydney racing.

Ford will leave for New Zealand on Thursday and has already picked up rides at a meeting there on Saturday. “I’m not too sure how long I will be going for,” the rider of international sprinter Takeover Target said. “It could be indefinite until we see what is happening with racing in Sydney.”

Ford, pictured, who has travelled the globe with Takeover Target, said he was looking forward to the challenge of riding in New Zealand for the first time. “Basically I’m treating the trip as a working holiday but it should be good experience.

“My manager [Bryan Haskins] has spoken to a few trainers and I’m hoping to ride some trackwork over there so there are a lot of positives about going over.

“Here it is getting to the stage where I have just been sitting around with nothing to do and waiting so it will be good to get back into the swing of things.”