Parish secures feature race ride

A brief return to New Zealand has produced an unexpected bonus for expatriate Kiwi jockey Cory Parish.

He has been booked for three rides at Ellerslie on Saturday, including the mount on Trepidation in the Gr.3 Stella Artois Concorde Handicap.

“I came back to drop my daughter off to my parents for Christmas and it’s been great to pick up a few rides through Mark Claydon, who has done a good job at short notice,” Parish said.

“I arrived on Wednesday and I’ll be going back next Thursday and probably ride over there again on Friday.”

Parish, who has 136 New Zealand winners to his credit, has been based in Victoria since 2012.

“I love it over there, but I had a bit of bad luck and I’ve only been back riding for a couple of months,” he said.

“I had a fall at Swan Hall and suffered two small fractures in my spine. That was at the end of July when everybody else was starting to get ready for the Melbourne carnival.”

Parish, 26, said the Chris McNab-trained Trepidation would be a leading chance on her best form.

“She was unlucky in the Railway when Noel (Harris) was riding her and, while I haven’t had any instructions yet, she seems to get back so the smaller field will suit her.”

Fourth in Ellerslie’s premier sprint before a third placing in the Gr.1 Telegraph earlier this year, Trepidation has been out twice this preparation and she looks well-placed on the minimum on Saturday.

Parish has also been booked for the Tim and Margaret Carter-trained pair of Danica (race three) and Sky Idea (race four).