3 minute read

Matt Cameron is amped for a big weekend.

The champion jockey has key rides in feature races, including partnering Maygrove in Saturday's Gr.2 Platinum Homes Wellington Cup at Trentham and Windborne in the Listed Karaka Million at Ellerslie the following night.

As well, he will ride Abidewithme in the Gr.1 Harcourts Thorndon Mile and Vive La Difference in the Gr.3 Wellfield Desert Gold Stakes at Trentham, then continuing his blossoming partnership with rising star three-year-old Volkstok'n'barrell in the Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Insurance Karaka 3YO Mile at Ellerslie.

"We ride at a lot of little meetings during the year, but they all build up to meetings like this," Cameron said.

"Saturday's a huge day. I've got to ride light [52kg] in the cup and then we've got to back up and do it all again the next day at Ellerslie, but at least that's a twilight meeting so we've got Sunday morning off and that's a good chance to sit back and get refocused again for Karaka Million night."

TAB bookmakers have installed the Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman-trained Maygrove as a $6 second favourite for the Wellington Cup and Cameron goes into the race a confident jockey after a courageous second in the Listed Marton Cup last start.

"He's going really well. Murray and Andrew's team are flying. You just hop on them and know they are going to race well," Cameron said.

"Maygrove has got a light weight in what's not an overly strong race. He's going to be hard to beat."

Stable rider for Matamata's Te Akau Racing, Cameron has high hopes for both the Jason Bridgman-trained Abidewithme in the Thorndon Mile and Vive La Difference in the Desert Gold Stakes.

Cameron goes head-to-head with the Te Akau-trained Rockfast when he continues his association with the Donna and Dean Logan-trained Volkstok'n'barrell at Ellerslie.

He has been aboard for Volkstok'n'barrell's last four wins and says his confidence in the Tavistock gelding's ability only continues to grow.

"There's a lot of expectation and pressure on to win but for me, it's good to be in that position.

"He's got a good draw and while this isn't his grand final, I know how good he is and I put my faith in the horse to do the business. Racing normally comes down to the best horse winning and I'm pretty confident I'm on the best horse."

Cameron, who volunteers the Te Akau-trained Rockfast as the biggest threat to $1.80 favourite Volkstok'n'barrell, is back riding for the Matamata stable in the Karaka Million when he teams up with Windborne, a winner of two of her three starts.

"She's come up really well,” he said. “She's improved heaps since she got beaten the other day. She galloped huge this week. She's back to her old self."

Windborne is the $8 fifth favourite for the Karaka Million in a market headed by Maritimo at $4.80.