Jockey Ronnie Stewart will make his return to the races this Sunday after an employment pass faux pas kept the Australian hoop out of the saddle since five weeks ago.
An honest mix-up in dates saw the three-time Group 1 Singapore Gold Cup-winning rider without a valid work permit and Stewart was forced to watch on while the paperwork was being sorted.
Married to Singaporean ex-Kranji jockey Sheryl Cheam – with a three-year-old daughter Dakota in the family circle – Stewart was also applying for Singapore Permanent Residency when he got the news that his Employment Pass had expired in July.
Now that the matter has been sorted – albeit belatedly – Stewart was relieved that he could ride at trackwork and at the races again, but he also knew the error costed him some winning rides on top of keeping him out of the game he loves.
“No one’s fault,” conceded the affable jockey, whose last winner was on the Steven Burridge-trained Ima on July 8.
“We actually applied for a renewal back in May but missed an administrative deadline, so we had to re-apply and to be fair, everyone involved had been very understanding.
“It was frustrating not being able to ride because of that mistake with the dates, but it is what it is. But it was still hard to watch some of the horses I was meant to be on winning.
“Easy to say, but I reckon it costed me four or five winners and they were hard to come by. Those horses might not win again soon as they had found their level. I lost some good rides in the Group races as well.
“It was hard to be out of the loop, but you cop it on the chin and I’m just happy to be back riding this Sunday.”
Stewart has four rides on Sunday – Lim’s Wish in the $30,000 Class 5 Division 1 race over 1000m, Legacy Fortune in the $50,000 Class 4 Division 2 race over 1200m, Hardcore in the Class 4 Division 1 race over 1200m and Hero in the $70,000 Class 3 race over 1200m – but he thought that it would take time to get back into the full swing of racing.
“I only started trackwork on Tuesday so I didn’t expect many rides,” he explained.
“So I’m really grateful that (trainer) Tim (Fitzsimmons) put me on two (Legacy Fortune and Hero) and ‘Stretch’ (trainer Shane Baertschiger) and Dan (trainer Daniel Meagher) gave me rides (on Hardcore and Hero respectively) as well.
“I rode some nice youngsters at the trials on Tuesday and Thursday for Tim. Hopefully, I can do the work and get the good rides going forward.
“I can also get back on some on my regular rides for other trainers – Stretch has a couple lined up – after being back at trackwork. I should be back to where I left off in a few weeks.
“I really missed trackwork, not just for the opportunity to get some nice rides, but the camaraderie. It’s good to be back in the mornings.”
Of his rides on Sunday, Stewart thought things may have to go his way for a win but remained hopeful of a result.
“On paper, I probably can’t win a race on Sunday but all (four horses) look some hope on best form,” he said.
“Dan’s horse (Lim’s Wish) in the opener is having his first start this year but he had shown something first-up before and the trip suits. That race looked open too.
“The other three looked like they need longer but the track (Long Course ‘D’ on the turf) could suit backmarkers.
“Hardcore gets blinkers, so that could help and Tim’s two (Legacy Fortune and Hero) ran super last start over the mile. It’s tough dropping back to 1200m but they are both in form.
“So if they all get a good tempo early and I get some clean air when making our runs, you never know.
“Regardless, it’s just nice to be back.”
