Inside champion jockey Mark Zahra's world | Racing Victoria x news.com.au

Описание: What does takes to be a champion jockey?

Early morning track work, weighing in, maintaining fitness — it’s all part of the package that comes with riding as a jockey at the highest level. But that doesn’t mean it’s easy.

"There's no better feeling like winning a Melbourne Cup in front of a hundred thousand people, coming back and having everyone screaming for you."

For jockey Mark Zahra, the moment he crossed the line first in the Melbourne Cup was more than just a victory — it was a dream come true.

The roar of the crowd, the adrenaline, the sheer joy of realising he had done something many jockeys only ever dream of. But what about the journey that led him there? There are the early mornings, the struggles, and the sacrifices.

Six days a week, Zahra arrives at the track before the first blush of dawn. Even for someone at the top of his game, the grind of the profession never gets easier.

"People say you get used to waking up early,” he says. “I never have. I hate it. I still hate it to this day, no matter how many times I do it, I don't get used to it."

When he’s not training and racing thoroughbreds, Zahra is focused on his weight management and maintaining mental strength.

“As a jockey, you need a strong core, great balance, hand-eye coordination, and the ability to think quickly,” he says. “Things happen fast in a race, so you have to anticipate what’s coming before it even happens. Patience, and composure are two big things that I pride myself on in a race.”

Unlike many of his peers, Zahra didn’t grow up riding horses.

“I'd never ridden a horse before in my life until I decided to sign up as a jockey,” he says. “After I finished Year 10, Mum was like, ‘Okay, if you want to have a go, you can have a go.’ And so I went to a jockey training camp in Western Australia to do a 10-week course, where I learned how to ride.”

He quickly learned what it felt like to fall — but he “stuck to the task”, becoming an apprentice jockey. Today, he’s asked to ride some of the most prized thoroughbreds, competing in the world’s biggest races, winning the Melbourne Cup twice, cementing his place among the elite jockeys in the sport.

“Every jockey dreams of winning the Melbourne Cup, and for all that to come true was very overwhelming. It was an amazing moment,” Zahra says. “Not only for me but for my family as well. They’ve been through a lot with me throughout my career. But to think for years down the track, your name will just... it’ll always be there forever.”