Champion young Indian jockey Trevor Patel will be a trailblazing pioneer when he rides in Australia next weekend.
Plenty of jockeys with exotic foreign backgrounds have ridden in Australia, such as Brazilian-born Hong Kong superstar Joao Moreira.
But the names of Indian jockeys who have ridden in Australia hardly roll off the tongue and in fact few can remember many Indians riding Down Under.
That is all about to change when 25-year-old Patel, who recently broke the record in the race to ride 1000 winners in India, has his first ride in south-east Queensland next weekend.
Patel admits he doesn't know much about Aussie racing … but he loves watching the Melbourne Cup and turf greats like Black Caviar and Winx.
The opportunity for the record-breaking hoop from Mumbai to ride in south-east Queensland, primarily for trainer Robert Heathcote, came about through Indian steward Wayne Wood.
Wood was a former chief investigator for Queensland Racing.
"I always wanted to go and ride outside India for something new," Patel told Racenet.
"My wife has come with me and we will stay for a minimum of three months.
"I know a little bit about Australian racing and I always like watching the Melbourne Cup and horses like Black Caviar and Winx."
Patel had his first race ride in 2009 and was champion apprentice jockey in Pune and Mumbai before rising through the senior ranks to win six riding titles.
Horse racing in India is over 200 years old, with a well established racing and breeding industry, and legendary Australian jockey Darby Munro even rode in India during a stint in the 1930s.
But there aren't many Indian-born riders who have ridden in Australia before.
"I've rung around and there might have been one or two Indian jockeys who have ridden in Australia over the years, but no-one is too sure," Queensland Jockeys Association boss Glen Prentice said.
Take a look at Trevor Patel booting home winners in India.
