Nick Hall says a bad reaction to a tattoo led to him being called to ride Jameka in the Melbourne Cup

PODCAST: A BIZARRE tattoo nightmare was the catalyst for landing jockey Nick Hall the ride on Melbourne Cup second-favourite Jameka.

Pain in the backside worth it in the long run for jockey Nick Hall, who is pictured soothing his aches and pains with a recent dip in Port Phillip Bay. Picture: Colleen Petch

A BIZARRE tattoo nightmare was the catalyst for landing jockey Nick Hall the ride on Melbourne Cup second-favourite Jameka.

Hall, 29, didn’t have a ride for the $6 million Group 1 two-mile classic before becoming ill with the flu and an adverse reaction to new tattoos — a Foo Dog and dragon — stamped on his backside.

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Hall was originally booked to ride Observational, for godfather Lloyd Williams, in the Group 3 Naturalism Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield but had to forgo the mount after not being able to guarantee — a week before the race — he would make the 54kg weight.

“I got tattooed on the Monday and it must have shaken the system up a bit and I got really crook and didn’t end up going to track work Tuesday,” Hall said.

“I got tattooed on my a*** and all my glands swelled up in my groins … I couldn’t get into the riding position otherwise I would have just gone probably.”

Hall confided in Williams of his predicament and they agreed to part ways to avoid a “big mess”.

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“I didn’t know that I was going to get another ride, I just didn’t want to upset his system.”

Hall recovered in time for the Naturalism and was in the right place at the right time when champion jockey Craig Williams was suspended for careless riding meaning he couldn’t pilot Jameka in the early spring feature.

Nick Hall escorts Subzero through an inner city TAB outlet as he places $200 on Hall’s Cup ride Jameka. Hall says “Subbie” is the first horse he sat on. Nick’s father Greg won the 1992 Melbourne Cup on Subzero.

Trainer Ciaron Maher was unable to find a replacement and basically told Hall it was his ride.

“I really wasn’t left with the choice … at one stage he chose someone else to ride (and said) ‘if he doesn’t want to ride it, you can ride it’.”

Hall took his chance with both hands.

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Nick Hall reacts as he rides Jameka to victory in the Caulfield Cup. Picture: AAP

Jameka trounced her rivals in the Naturalism and backed it up again with a strongly run second to Cup favourite, Hartnell, in the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes.

The bull of a mare then demolished a star-studded Caulfield Cup field to pocket $1.75m for connections.

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“I don’t think its karma or whatever. I just take it as it comes,” Hall said.

“It’s worked out good, (I’m) pretty happy with it.”

The Foo Dog, or Chinese guardian lions, is meant to symbolise protection, prosperity and success.

Nick Hall sweats it out in his infra-red sauna at his home. Picture: Colleen Petch

Originally published as Nick Hall says a bad reaction to a tattoo led to him being called to ride Jameka in the Melbourne Cup