Group 1-winning hoop lands on Gold Coast

By Jordan Gerrans

Group 1-winning hoop Ashvin Goindasamy is keen to take his career to the next level and believes the Gold Coast is the perfect launching pad for his stint in Australia.

The Mauritian jockey has ridden with success across New Zealand since he lobbed in the country back in 2016.

The natural lightweight’s tenure across the ditch was headlined by his triumph at the highest level aboard Tiptronic in the Group 1 Zabeel Classic for the training team of Graham Richardson and Rogan Norvall.

That was back in 2021 when Goindasamy was still an apprentice.

Now an established senior jockey, he says the Sunshine State offers him a great opportunity to kick-start his Australian ambitions.  

“I am just focusing on work, I have been at the track every day since I have been here,” Goindasamy said.

“I want to work hard, do the hard yards and hopefully get a lot of success – that is the goal.”

Goindasamy arrived in Australia last Wednesday and has been busy riding work for Gold Coast trainers Peter Robl, Jay Bellamy, Richard Laming as well as the satellite operations of the leading Freedman and Waller camps.

The 27-year-old is hopeful of getting his foot in the door with the Munce yard, as well.

The ambitious hoop has just put together his best campaign in NZ since he became a senior rider, which prompted the move.

He piloted 36 winners, which included one Group 3 victory, at a strike-rate approaching nine percent.

“I always wanted to come to Australia and ride, it has always been one of my goals in my career,” Goindasamy said.

“All the good horses and jockeys are here.

“I wanted to get more experience and learn more about the races here, because I have always followed the races here.

“I wanted to put it on my resume that I had ridden here, at a higher level, as well.

“That is the main thing. The Gold Coast is a good place to start for me.”

Ryan Crawford will manage Goindasamy’s engagements in Australia.

“He will be basing himself as a freelance on the Gold Coast, he can ride the minimum and provided he gets the success we are hoping - he will relocate on a permanent basis,” Crawford said.

“Ashvin has wanted to test himself in Australia for some time and is excited about the challenge ahead.”

Goindasamy has moved to Australia with his partner who also is employed in racing.

Owner Jacqueline Fenwick played a role in Goindasamy’s early ambitions to relocate to Australia. 

Fenwick had a horse in NZ that he rode to victory and the pair got talking from there around trying his luck in Australia.

The jockey was supposed to ride Tennessee Whiskey that Robl trains and Fenwick owns at the Gold Coast on Saturday.

The galloper finished second but Goindasamy was still serving a short suspension from NZ and couldn’t be in the saddle.

Fenwick – who the jockey considers as a good friend - owns four horses with Robl.

Goindasamy says that his greatest strength is that while he is naturally light as a jockey, he still is strong in pushing horses out to the line despite his slight stature.

“I feel like I have been riding really well, the best I have since I have been a senior,” he said.

“My last meeting in New Zealand, I rode a treble.

“I wanted to go out on a good note and I thought I could ride one or two winners but to get three, that was the best thing.”

He has bookings over the border at Lismore on Monday of next week and is hopeful of taking his first Australian rides later this week.