It’s always a big emotional moment whenever you start or do anything for the first time.
So imagine the pressure young Zac Wadick is facing today.
He steps out in race 4 at Nowra this afternoon aboard SHADOW COLOUR (Hinchinbrook – El Ashb) for his very first ride in a race.
Stop right there.
That is a daunting thing on its own and we wish him well as those butterflies circle around his belly.
But, here’s where life takes a massive step of pressure upwards for the young man.
He rides Shadow Colour for Gr 1 winning trainer, Mark Newnham, himself a former prolific winning jockey.
And, Wadick rides a horse who will be the $2.20 favourite all over Australia.
The cruel, harsh weight of the unforgiving punting nation on his shoulders at first asking.
Wow.
Talk about pressure.
On top of that he is on a horse, a quirky thing at best who has loads of talent but has just one win from 13 starts to his credit meaning he isn’t all that genuine late in the game. The day he did win, he had Gr 1 winning rider Josh Parr urging him along.
It’s an amazing cocktail of situations pounding together and Wadick has to deal with it at his very FIRST race ride ever.
Later on in the day he has his 2nd ride this time on SHARPSHOOTER (Hinchinbrook – Prostar) in race 6 for trainer Anthony Mountey.
He, like Shadow Colour is a go forward horse but this time the poor young lad has to steer him across from an outside draw and find cover.
He may very well end the day with a win, but Zac Wadick who rides at 51kg and claims 4kg, will never forget this day.
A day he was tossed into the deep end of racing first go.
