Leading European apprentices to visit N.Z.

Press, 18 November 1982, Page 28

Leading European apprentices to visit N.Z.

Two of the leading apprentice riders in Europe, Billy Newnes (England) and David Parnell (Ireland), will ride in New Zealand in February. They were winner and runner-up respectively in the recently held European Apprentices Championship, a series of races run in Paris, Florence and Munich, in which the leading apprentices from seven European countries took part. A working holiday in New Zealand was the prize for the competition which was organised by the International Racing Bureau. Air New Zealand, which has recently introduced its direct London-Auckland service, is sponsoring the air travel. Newnes and Parnell, who are expected to arrive on January 29 and leave on February 23, will be based with the Matamata trainers,

Jim Gibbs and Dave O’Sullivan, during their visit. They hope to obtain good riding opportunities while in New Zealand. Newnes, aged 23, will be a fully fledged jockey when the British flat season begins in 1983 and has the position of first rider to prominent trainer, Henry Candy. He is able to ride at 48kg. He is only the second apprentice since Lester Piggott to ride a winner of an English classic. He won this year’s English Oaks on Time Charter, on which he also won the Champion Stakes (by 7 lengths), and Sun Chariot Stakes. He has ridden more than 150 winners, including more than 50 this year. David Parnell, who is 17, was runner-up on the Irish apprentices’ list in 1981, one win fewer than the leader, and prominent again in 1982.

He has been apprenticed to one of the leading trainers, Liam Browne, but will transfer in 1983 to Michael Kauntze, as first rider. His riding weight is 52kg. Parnell has a real racing pedigree — his father “Buster” Parnell, was formerly champion jockey in Ireland and now rides in India. Both Newnes and Parnell have previously worked for a short period in Australia. Parnell spent six weeks last summer in the employ of George Hanlon, Melbourne, and rode a winner. Newnes spent his time with Neville Begg in Sydney. The riders have expressed keenness to experience New Zealand working and race riding conditions and it is hoped that their appearance on raceday will be an interesting feature during February.