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Grant Cooksley will never tire of the thrill of riding a winner.

The jockey known as "The Iceman" returned to New Zealand earlier this year and has got straight back into the groove of riding winners, a six and a half length armchair ride on the Bruce Wallace-trained Wadapleasure at Te Aroha a fortnight ago taking his tally of domestic winners to 990.

While he is within 10 of becoming the latest jockey to join the 1000-club of New Zealand wins, 55-year-old Cooksley has ridden many more winners around the world.

In his prime, Cooksley was a world-class jockey. He was in demand in Australia and Asia from the most discerning owners and trainers. He partnered gallopers the quality of Octagonal, Mouawad, Skating, The Phantom, Tidal Light and Northern Drake.

His tally of winners worldwide is more than 2600 and his list of Group One wins totals about 65.

"I still enjoy riding and getting out there and competing," Cooksley said.

"As soon as I don't enjoy it, I'll stop, but in the meantime I'm happy still doing it. I just love riding winners. I've always loved horses and I still love riding them."

Having spent three years based on the Sunshine Coast, Cooksley has returned to South Auckland, living in Karaka and still riding trackwork at Byerley Park two or three times a week.

He rides out for a range of trainers, but his biggest supporter since his return has been Wallace.

"I've ridden for Bruce for years. I rode for his father Ray when I was an apprentice," said Cooksley, a grandfather of four.

Apprenticed in the mid-1970s, Cooksley has come a long way since then. While riding winners has been a constant, so too has his need to travel.

"I've ridden in about 12 countries. I came home [from Queensland] mainly because I just got sick of it over there. That's happened with me a lot," Cooksley said.

"I've left New Zealand a couple of times when I was leading the premiership, but things like that have never meant a lot to me."

It's that approach that has Cooksley remarkably understated about the looming milestone of 1000 New Zealand wins.

"If it happens, it happens. That's not what's motivating me to ride though. I'm out there because I still love it," he said.

Cooksley will return from a recent careless riding suspension with a handful of rides at Ruakaka on Saturday.

Among them is the Wallace-trained Endorsement in the Rating 85 2100m event. Cooksley rode the Nadeem gelding to a fast-finishing second at the same track last month.

"He's going all right and he should be a good ride," Cooksley said.