Meehan Announces Arrival in the North with First Treble

Irish born jockey Chris Meehan celebrated his impending Australian citizenship with a first ever winning treble at Cluden Park on Saturday.

A one-time jumps jockey, Meehan had a day to remember winning on $9 chance Ellie’s Dream and longshots Majestic Blaze and Betta Al.

The 31-year-old and his wife Niahm (pronounced Nieve) will officially become Aussies at a citizenship ceremony on Tuesday.

Meehan was over the moon with his treble and the decision to make a permanent shift from the Sunshine Coast to Cairns three weeks ago.

“This is super, super special. First treble and what made it even better are three winners for separate trainers who have supported me in recent times,” Meehan said.

“Glad to get the job done for the boys.”

Meehan used his distinct European style to win on Ellie’s Dream and Betta Al for Cairns trainers Fred Wieland and Alwyn Bailey, and Majestic Blaze for Mareeba conditioner Alex Malliff.

Born just outside Belfast, Meehan said he originally travelled to Australia on a working holiday six years ago with no intention of riding.

“I came out with my wife, who was my girlfriend then. We got married last year and had a baby three months ago,” Meehan said.

“We decided to move up from the Sunny Coast to Cairns three or four weeks ago to chase opportunities.

“I was doing fly in fly out to the north beforehand. But pretty much Cairns for Niahm and I now and I’ve started to get some support from the lads there.

“I started off as a jumps jockey and rode in England and pretty much rode through my claim. I was light enough so I went back to Ireland and rode on the flat for a season or two and polished up my skills a bit. But the plan was always to go back to jumping.

“Unfortunately I got a few injuries and broke a leg which took a long time to mend. So I came out to Australia for a working holiday for a year. I didn’t want to look at a horse the whole time I was here, but haven’t done anything but ride horses.

“Six years later we’re going for our citizenship next Tuesday.

“We’re loving it in Cairns and I’m riding a minimum of 55kg. I don’t do it easy but I’m keeping on top of it and I’m riding work every day and keeping as busy as possible.”

Heavyweight jockey Aidan Holt landed his first winner in his current  riding stint with a well-timed run on Maiden performer Looming One.

Holt, who is married to premier trainer Georgie, had a promising riding career in Brisbane cut short in 2014 because of an on-going struggle with weight.

He has since made periodic returns to the saddle in the North in the heavyweight range.

With his weight down to 58.5kg, the lightest he’s been in years, Holt’s win on Looming One was his first winner at Cluden from 10 rides at the track since resuming his career.

It was a satisfying win on a horse that had registered a string of placings for trainer and friend Rhein Sewell.

“I’m stoked. Rhein has a share in our good mare Sweet Kisses, he’s helped us out a lot and they’re just a good family,” Holt said.

“It was good to finally get one up here in Townsville. I did ride a winner in Cairns before the family went away on a holiday.”

Holt said a shortage of staff and a growing workload at the stables at home had helped with the weight loss.

“That’s what started it all, no staff. I wasn’t finishing until 10.30 or 11am, you’d miss breakfast, get home, have some lunch, and back at it again and then by the time you’d get home you didn’t feel like eating you were so tired,” Holt said.

“Now that I’m older I’m obviously a lot more disciplined, and there’s not those fluctuations with my weight. That was the worst thing about it when I was younger trying to make a go of it with lighter weights.

“You’d lose a certain amount of weight and then put that back on and more in a matter of days over and again.

“There’s been no pressure to ride any sort of weight now and I’m comfortably keeping down to 58kg. I could probably ride a fraction lighter but I don’t want to push it for a bit.

“I rode around 60kg to start with and that was comfortable and then down to 59 kg and same thing.

“I got my weight down even more to ride our good filly Time To Prophet last week.

“She’s been quite frustrating. Trials and works like a weapon but is just not firing race day. I was just curious to get on her to see what’s going on with her.”

Holt said he’s happy to take up offers of more rides but hasn’t been phoning around chasing opportunities.