Racha Cuneen
Trish Dunell
Racha Cuneen will be keeping tabs on the star filly La Diosa from afar in the coming weeks.
The Canterbury apprentice is looking forward to his first overseas riding experience, but he'll be staying in touch with the leading three-year-old's trainers Mandy and Matt Brown.
Cuneen, who partnered La Diosa to an impressive victory in Saturday's Gr.1 NZ 1000 Guineas, is preparing for a trip to Malaysia.
"I'm still waiting for a visa and when that comes through I'll be going for three months," he said.
"I've always wanted to stretch out a bit and explore and I'm being sponsored by the trainer Bonny Ng.
"If I'm wanted here then I will be happy to fly back and ride La Diosa."
Cuneen is now in his sixth season of riding and, by his own admission, immaturity issues prevented him from making an earlier impact.
The Canterbury apprentice is looking forward to his first overseas riding experience, but he'll be staying in touch with the leading three-year-old's trainers Mandy and Matt Brown.
Cuneen, who partnered La Diosa to an impressive victory in Saturday's Gr.1 NZ 1000 Guineas, is preparing for a trip to Malaysia.
"I'm still waiting for a visa and when that comes through I'll be going for three months," he said.
"I've always wanted to stretch out a bit and explore and I'm being sponsored by the trainer Bonny Ng.
"If I'm wanted here then I will be happy to fly back and ride La Diosa."
Cuneen is now in his sixth season of riding and, by his own admission, immaturity issues prevented him from making an earlier impact.
Racha Cuneen
Trish Dunell
"I was never settled or committed earlier on and I made mistakes and learned from them," he said.
"I grew up in Orewa and my step-dad was into his horses. He had a few trotters and it was him who suggested that I got into racing.
"I was half the size I am now so I gave it a go – I never liked school. I started with Kevin Hughes and Dean Wiles at Pukekohe and after about three years I shifted to Cambridge to Brett McDonald.
"I was a probationer there for a year and had a spell with John Wheeler as well before I was apprenticed to Trent Busuttin.
"I then decided to move south to give myself a fresh start and I went to Michael Pitman and when I moved to Neill Ridley things really started to go well for me."
Cuneen, 24, has now ridden 103 winners and he finished runner-up on Miss Seton Sands in The Telegraph earlier this year before his breakthrough success at Group One level aboard La Diosa at Riccarton. – NZ Racing Desk.
"I grew up in Orewa and my step-dad was into his horses. He had a few trotters and it was him who suggested that I got into racing.
"I was half the size I am now so I gave it a go – I never liked school. I started with Kevin Hughes and Dean Wiles at Pukekohe and after about three years I shifted to Cambridge to Brett McDonald.
"I was a probationer there for a year and had a spell with John Wheeler as well before I was apprenticed to Trent Busuttin.
"I then decided to move south to give myself a fresh start and I went to Michael Pitman and when I moved to Neill Ridley things really started to go well for me."
Cuneen, 24, has now ridden 103 winners and he finished runner-up on Miss Seton Sands in The Telegraph earlier this year before his breakthrough success at Group One level aboard La Diosa at Riccarton. – NZ Racing Desk.
