New Zealand jockey Shannon Doyle makes perfect return at Gold Coast

JOCKEY Shannon Doyle just wants to ride as many winners as he can this year after celebrating a perfect return to racing with two victories on his first day back after a two-year hiatus.

Jockey Shannon Doyle makes a successful comeback to race riding on Gorada at the Gold Coast. Photo:Jessica Hawkins/Trackside Photography

JOCKEY Shannon Doyle just wants to ride as many winners as he can this year after celebrating a perfect return to racing with two victories on his first day back after a two-year hiatus.

The New Zealander rode the John Morrisey-trained Gorada to win the Shootout Memorial Class 2 Handicap (1800m) at the Gold Coast on Saturday. Two races later he dead-heated for first on Wack’em in the Eric Cowell Memorial Class 1 Handicap (1200m).

It was a remarkable comeback for Doyle, who last rode in a race on December 22, 2014, in New Plymouth, New Zealand.

“I couldn’t ask for a better start,” said Doyle, who had only two rides on the Coast.

“I’m grateful to Mr Morrisey for giving me this chance. I’ve been out for a while so it was nice to get a winner on my first ride back.”

The 36-year-old never thought he would return to the saddle on race day after battling weight problems his whole career.

“I’ve always battled with my weight right from the first day I started riding as an apprentice,” Doyle said.

“Towards the end I was trying to drop three to four kilograms a night to try to make my weight and when you’re riding consistently – 52 weeks of the year pretty much – after a while it got pretty tough.

“It was crazy. I’d go for a training session after trackwork and basically sit in a hot bath for hours on end overnight and then ride trackwork with sweat gear on the next morning before sitting in the hot bath again. It got the best of me in the end.”

Shannon Doyle is back in the winner’s stall. Photo: Jessica Hawkins/Trackside Photography

But after arriving in Queensland six months ago to link up with family, he began riding trackwork for trainer Bruce Hill and Morrisey before being convinced to give it another go.

“I had no intention of riding races here,” Doyle said. “I just came here because I have a brother and sister here.

“I planned on riding trackwork for the interim and got persuaded to get back into it.

“With the warmer climate up here it’s a lot easier to keep and manage your weight.

“Now I’m just taking it as it comes. I was lucky to form an alliance with Mr Morrisey early and I’ll try to ride as many winners as I can.”

The win was Gorada’s second straight and the four-year-old mare’s third from nine starts for Gold Coast-based Morrisey.

Morrisey’s son Scott said the mare had come back bigger and stronger after returning to racing in December following a four-month spell.

Scott said Gorada would likely go to Brisbane to chase a metropolitan win in her next start in what will be fifth run of her preparation.

“It was great to see Shannon ride a winner like that,” Scott said. “He has been off the scene for a couple of years so it was great to see.”