Mighty Mouse grieving for Zimbabwe

13 April 2012

Michael Roberts has seen the view from the top and he has seen the view from the bottom, but a window on a foreign field called Zimbabwe is what troubles him now.

This polite and amenable jockey has been watching the news with a heart as heavy as his trophy cabinet when he should have been looking forward to a reunion with the doughty Ravenswood in Europe's richest staying handicap, the £135,000 Tote Ebor in York on Wednesday.

Those magnetic, frustrating and tragic images of white farmers and black politicians once again in the news has an especially interested follower in the South African ex-pat, whose 1,000-acre holding in Durban has pitched him into that other-worldly maelstrom at a time when he should be relishing the future.

The tale of Mouse Roberts is a roller-coaster epic of its own.

From the majesty of 11 riding titles in South Africa to his solitary yet remarkable crowning in England nine years ago and now relative oblivion, he has become a rider still in demand. Yet he is prepared to speak out at the fickleness of trainers who ignore his talents and magnify the bias of owners for the coterie of riders in vogue.

Typical is it that his 'big horse' this year, Royal Ascot winner Cassandra Go, had to be retired because of pregnancy. Victory followed on another filly, Good Girl, in the Super Sprint at Newbury and a fresh spell in the public eye would be suited to no better ambassador. He is a diminutive caresser of horses used by 71 trainers this season and who, at 47, has hinted for perhaps the first time that when his playing days are spent the departure for his homeland may not be a foregone conclusion.

"Waiting on news from Zimbabwe," he says, the accent of his upbringing still firm, "it doesn't look good".

"You can't live there with the crime back home as it is and the way the problems are affecting the farmers. I'm saddened particularly by the rest of the world as they've not done anything, only watch a lovely country like Zimbabwe going down the tubes. I'm not a politician, but it is a shame that once the story first made the news here it was forgotten until the past few days."

Safety and security appear to be unavoidable topics of conversation. A badly swollen right foot represented a lucky escape last week when his intended mount Gdansk 'freaked out' in the starting stalls and almost toppled over backwards.

Roberts was the only object ready to cushion the fall.

That was as nothing to the prolonged agony he has shared with others in the weighing room who have ridden on through the heatwave and endless fixtures in a type of body protector condemned for making jockeys weak with its straitjacket-like qualities.

Roberts admitted: "It's an absolute killer. It doesn't allow any air in and you dehydrate, you lose weight, and it makes you tired as well. I'd hope the Jockey Club would be looking into changing it."

No sweating is needed in order to make the weight for the Ebor, though divine perspiration would be preferred. Ravenswood needs rain in order to be effective in the frantic contest that looks tailor-made for a horse outstayed into fourth in the Northumberland Plate over two miles on his first run in eight months.

"He's a good horse fresh," Roberts added, suggesting as well that the Plate run was far better that was anticipated beforehand.

"The Ebor is tougher than the Plate and you want a good draw and luck in running, but it would be a great race to win. After Royal Ascot and Goodwood you have York, a fantastic meeting, even better if you can ride in most of the big races."

Afaint hint of wistfulness belies Roberts's efforts to find wheat among the chaff in his dotage.

He revealed: "Riding every single day gets to you. It's been a good season - not that many winners but some quality winners, a few big races. That means more than just riding."

Tony Smurthwaite is a writer for the Racing Post

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