Fannin calls time on jumps jockey career
Shaun Fannin has dominated the New Zealand jumps jockey ranks in recent years, but he is now passing on the baton after confirming his retirement from riding over fences.
It’s a decision that has been in the works for the last couple of years, with Fannin winding down his riding commitments as he focusses on developing his Awapuni stable alongside his wife and training partner Hazel.
“I am not looking to ride over fences anymore, I think that part of my life is over and I will be focussing solely on training,” Fannin said.
“I have been thinking about it for a while and it’s just Hazel and I with the horses, so the stable is dependent on us both.”
In a riding career that has spanned 14 seasons, the 30-year-old horseman has won 174 races, including 23 prestige jumps titles, and he has been crowned New Zealand Jumps Jockey of the Year on five occasions.
His partnership with Champion jumper West Coast (NZ) (Mettre En Jeu) has been his most celebrated in recent times, with Fannin’s most memorable win also coming on the Mark Oulaghan-trained gelding.
“I did ride some very good horses like Sea King, Zed Em and Tallyho Twinkletoe, and Kick Back right at the start was my favourite for a long time,” Fannin said. “But my association with West Coast and the weight that he carried for so many races, he would be my favourite.
“His first Northern Chase with his clash against The Cossack would be one of my biggest highlights, with the two champions going together and turning for home they were well clear of the field, and he showed he was the toughest stayer in the finish.
“My Dad passed away not long after that and it was the last race meeting he was able to see, so it will always be special for that reason.”
His association with West Coast was one of Fannin’s main driving factors to remain in the saddle, along with the rise of his own jumper Jesko (NZ) (Atlante).
The heir apparent to West Coast, Jesko stormed onto the jumping scene last year, winning four consecutive steeplechases, including the Wellington Steeplechase (4900m), before finishing runner-up in the Grand National Steeplechase (5600m), where Fannin was forced to vacate his ride on West Coast in favour of his own jumper.
Jesko then bounced back to claim the Great New Zealand Steeplechase (6200m), stamping his mark as the new king of New Zealand jumps racing.
While Jesko was seeking to continue his reign this year, Fannin said he injured a tendon and has been ruled out for the rest of the season.
“Jesko is out for the season, he has just got a bit of a tendon injury,” Fannin said. “It is not major at all but at the beginning of the season it is hard to carry on. He is only young and he is here (in the stable) at the moment and is bright as anything.
“It is just enough to pull pin on this season and he will be back next year, and with his age he should have another two or three seasons left when we get him back.”
With Jesko out for the rest of the year, the stable’s major hope this jumps season is Fourty Eight (NZ) (Ekraar).
The Pakuranga Hunt Cup (4300m) placegetter was a convincing 3-1/2 length victor over 1650m first-up at Waverley earlier this month, and he will head to Woodville on Wednesday to contest the Woodville Lions Club (2200m).
While Fannin has retired from riding over jumps, he said he will continue to ride in high weights for now and he will partner with Fourty Eight in the midweek fixture.
“While I can do the high weights, I will probably look to do that for a bit longer yet,” Fannin said.
“Fourty Eight won really impressively (first-up) and he seems to have come back really good this year. He came up well last year but he had a few foot issues, which put us on the back foot for the rest of the season, but we are on top of those at the moment.
“If he stays in one piece, hopefully he can stay in that form for most of the season.
“Up to 2200m will be ideal for him, he likes those better track conditions as well, which suited him at Waverley, and it looks like with the weather we are getting it should come into about a (Soft)5 on Wednesday at Woodville.”
Fannin said Fourty Eight will likely have his first steeplechase start this year at Wanganui in a fortnight, with the Signature Homes Waikato Steeplechase (3900m) at Te Rapa on June 13 his first major target of the jumps season.
“He will head to Wanganui on the 10th of May for the steeplechase there and with him showing a liking for better tracks, there is the steeplechase at Waikato and then into the Waikato Chase in the middle of June,” Fannin said.
Fannin will also head to Woodville with new stable acquisition Weneedashock (NZ) (Shocking), who will make his stable debut in the Vet Services Dannevirke (1600m).
Previously in the care of Otaki trainer Howie Mathews, the seven-year-old son of Shocking has won five races to date and Mathews felt he could make a jumper, so spoke with Fannin earlier this year.
“Howie got in touch with us towards the end of January and said he thought he would make a nice jumper and would we take him for a bit and see how he jumps,” Fannin said. “He is a really nice jumper, he is very natural.
“He trialled up really well at Foxton and won that nicely. We have changed a few things with him and he seems quite a happy horse at the moment. Off that trial you would have to have some confidence that he would go quite well on Wednesday.”
A jumping future is also in-mind for fellow stable newcomer Talentoso (NZ) (Tarzino), who will carry the same silks Fannin donned when riding West Coast.
Out of a half-sister to three-time Group One winner and now sire Turn Me Loose, Talentoso won three races for former trainer Shelley Hale before being offered on gavelhouse.com where he was purchased by Henry and Ron Williamson for $33,000.
“Talentoso is owned by Henry and Ron Williamson who own West Coast,” Fannin said. “Through our association with West Coast we have become very good friends.
“He came up on Gavelhouse and they were keen to have a horse with us, so they bought him. He is here to be a jumper but he seems to be going quite well, he trialled quite well at Foxton.
“He is probably another three to four weeks away from kicking off on raceday, but he seems to be coming up quite well, so I am quite excited about his winter ahead, he seems to like a heavy track.”
