Douglas makes perfect return to the flat

Jockey Lemmy Douglas is riding the crest of a wave.

Just a week after recording an historic Grand National double at Riccarton, he resumed his apprenticeship on the flat at his home track of New Plymouth on Saturday, and he made the perfect start when winning aboard Heavy Is The Crown in the Zafrenzy’s Legacy (1200m).

“It was awesome, it was great to be back out there,” Douglas said.

“The horse had good Heavy form as a youngster, so I was quietly confident, and so was the trainer (Carl Henderson). The race itself panned out beautifully, they came off the fence and I got a clean run at them.

“I also had a couple of nice placings on Chajaba and Illustrious, who are two nice horses. I couldn’t have asked for a better day out.

“For my first day back on the flat I had plenty of support, I had a full book, so it was great.”

Douglas hadn’t ridden on the flat for 18 months, and while he still competed over jumps, he missed being out on the track year-round.

“I was Robbie Patterson’s foreman for the whole time after I gave up (apprenticeship), so that kept me pretty busy, but I just missed riding and I wanted to be back out there with everyone,” he said.

After deciding to make a return, Douglas said weight was his biggest hurdle, but through a lot of dedication and hard work, he is pleased with where he is on the scale.

“Getting my weight down, I spent hours and hours in the gym and ate next to nothing,” he said. “You have just got to be tough on yourself if you want to do it. At the moment I am riding 55kg, but I should be back down to 54 in the next couple of months.”

Douglas felt now was the perfect time to make his return to flat riding.

“I carry on my apprenticeship with a two-kilo claim, and I finish that in April next year,” he said. “There are a lot of jockeys going on holiday or suspended, so it was the best time to get out there.”

While rapt with Saturday’s result, Douglas is still pinching himself after becoming the first jockey in 20 years to complete the Grand National double seven days prior aboard Lord Spencer (steeplechase) and Little Thief (hurdles).

“It hasn’t been done since Tommy Hazlett in 2006,” Douglas said. “When you get compared to people like that it takes me back a little bit because I never thought I would be up there with those boys, but the history books don’t lie, and it was an amazing feeling.”

Douglas returned to riding over jumps on Sunday at Woodville, where he placed aboard Tutin Cans in the One Eye Ota Open Hurdle (3000m), and while he said he loves jumps racing, he is glad to be competing on the flat once more.

“It is very different,” he said. “I do enjoy the jumping, but you have a longer life if you ride on the flat.”

Douglas, who is managing his own rides, is looking forward to re-establishing himself among the flat jockey ranks and rebuilding relationships with owners and trainers.

“It is more so getting my name back out there and try and get as many rides as I can and show people I can still do it,” he said. “I am going to do my own rides this time around, just so I can get in with the trainers a bit better.”

While Douglas will be working on getting those flat rides this week, he is already booked to ride three jumpers at Te Aroha on Sunday.

“I have got three jumpers for John Wheeler on Sunday at the moment – Red Ned, Fleur De Champ and Keen On Bubbles,” he said. “I think Red Ned will be a big chance in the steeplechase.”

Douglas is over the moon with the way things are going for him, and he is looking forward to trying to build on his momentum in the saddle.

“The last month has been quite exciting for me, he said. “I have picked up winners at every meeting, and hopefully I can keep it going.”