3 minute read
The irony of it all is that after lengthy perseverance and frustration to attain a dual license to train and ride Michael Travers, on a winning streak including a double on former Victorian mare Mathrin, won’t be aboard the outsider, his first TAB Highway starter at Kembla on Saturday.
The meeting is transferred from Rosehill Gardens and a TAB $100,000 Class 3 1400m episode, where Mathrin has the 54kg limit for James Innes, is an appetiser to a tremendous day of Group 2 and Listed racing.
"I'm riding at Griffith on Saturday, if I came up, I'd have to stay and test for Covid, eight hours driving and there's a stack of work at home before I ride at Griffith," explained Michael, a qualified teacher in Science and Music.
"Her owner Robyn Tatham is a gem, wanted to see her colours in a Highway first time. She's in the earliest race so hopefully I can catch it on TV before Griffith."
Connections were originally deflated by a barrier 18 draw for Mathrin who comes in a couple following early scratchings. However, the astute horseman could see positives.
"She's got '1000' speed off winning form so at '1400' we just might get lucky and slot in with cover. I originally tried to buy her because her history showed she could run time."
Originally Mathrin was in the Victorian Busuttin and Young stables, then Andrew Dale before being sold again.
"I've been in this business long enough to be a realist we need so much to go our way out there,'' Michael Travers said.
"But if they're good enough and get the right ride, they can win from anywhere. We'll know a lot more on Saturday. But for the level of prizemoney and while she's eligible she'll come up on Thursday and stay at the track."
From 2018, and any amount of injury time out and slow ones, it took Michael until April this year to train and ride his first winner, Estaverdi at Gundagai.
At present, Travers has trained four winners from 50 starters. He's also approaching 1000 winners in the saddle.
"We've got seven in work, my wife Jodie is a part-owner in a couple and she does all my bookings and contacts which relieves the pressure," he said.
Often there's not enough hours in the day for Michael. It's a 3am start if it's a race riding day after he rides his own track work and some for other trainers and long hours driving to tracks.
"Training and riding my own was a passion, natural progression and I'll race ride for as long as my body hold ups and 1000 winners is possible."
At present Mathrin is a $31 outsider where Cameron Crockett's Commando Hunt and James Ponsonby's Philipsburg share favouritism and around $5 each way odds.
