Rhys McLeod came to Randwick for one ride on Saturday and he walked away the winner of the Group One Australian Derby aboard the Pat Carey-trained Ethiopia.
It was the 29-year-old Victorian’s first elite victory in Sydney, although he has won a Group One in Adelaide aboard Dowry and in New Zealand aboard King’s Chapel.
A likeable rogue, McLeod is just as happy on a surfboard as he is a horse and spent much of the Derby day lead-up testing the waves in Sydney.
“I’ve been surfing every day since I’ve been here,” he said.
McLeod is not your typical jockey.
Apprenticed to Carey since he was 15, it was his mentor who gave him the Derby mount on Ethiopia, a maiden coming into the blue riband.
After the race Nash Rawiller, who rode the third-placed Laser Hawk, described McLeod as an untapped talent.
“He’s the most under-rated jockey in Australia the bloke who won it,” Rawiller said.
McLeod was unaffected by the praise.
He happily admitted he could achieve more if he worked harder but said he found too much enjoyment outside racing to make the necessary sacrifices to consistently be at the top.
“It’s day by day for me. I love life and whatever it dishes up. I just roll with it,” McLeod said.
“I probably don’t have the greatest work ethic.
“I’ve had my ups and downs. I did really well as an apprentice and when I came out of my time I was going all right to start off with but then I went off the boil for a while.
“It was probably just through immaturity.
“I’m still probably doing the same thing a bit now but just not as much.”
In the Derby, McLeod was anything but immature.
He was cool and calm and his timing was razor sharp.
Settling Ethiopia towards the rear, he got him to the outside and gave him every inch of the big Randwick straight to run down Polish Knight who looked set for victory after exploding to the front.
“It was a superb ride. A patient ride,” Carey said.
“He summed up the pace beautifully and used all the Randwick straight.
“He came to me a boy with no experience with horses and he was about 28 kilos.
“I hope this win does something very special for his career.”
