He may have almost 1600 winners under the belt, but Darryl Bradley's passion for riding winners is a long way from fading.
Bradley (46) is back into the groove of seeking winners on the southern circuit.
''I spent a fair bit of time down here in the late 1990s, and built up a really good association, and did it very regularly for a number of years,'' Bradley said at Cromwell on Sunday.
''I had a little bit of time off from travelling all the time - it does catch up with you - and now I'm in the mood to strive again and come and build up that association again."
Bradley rode four winners at the premier meeting at Wingatui on February 2. One of them came
in the Dunedin Guineas on Platinum Kingdom, a horse he has a lot of time for. The 3yr-old went on to win the Southland Guineas two weeks later.
''He's a lovely horse. I don't know how much ability he's got because he's still a boy in a man's body, and he's got so much up-side about him,'' the Woodville-raised jockey said.
''He's a horse that puts himself near the pace from the gates and just relaxes so beautifully until you want him to get up on the bridle, and as soon as you ask him to go, he's got a great acceleration. He's never been extended.''
Bradley should know a good horse, too - he has sat in the saddle in an official race in New Zealand 12,684 times. Luckily, his strict health regime ensures he is not straining and sweating in order to make the weight.
''I walk around at 52kg, and I can ride a little bit lighter. I'm pretty healthy and watch my diet.
''Which means he can soak up the best of the Central Otago hospitality when he trips down for Cromwell and Omakau meetings.
''There are lovely orchards and whatnot, and they bring it into the jockey room. Fruit is good,'' he said.
Bradley's Wingatui wins helped his season tick along after ''a very slow start''.
''It really built up in October when I had 10 winners, and I'm starting to get away now,'' he said.
''I'm up to 28 wins for the season, which is pretty slow for myself.''
As long as he maintains his working relationship with Lisa Latta, you get the feeling more winners are not far away, as the country's leading trainer this season has strong stables in both Awapuni and Christchurch.
''She's very good to work for, and she's got lovely horses. We've had over 100 winners [as a jockey-trainer partnership].
Bradley's first winner was in 1984, riding Choir Path for his father, Graham. He has no plan to hang up the riding boots and whip any time soon.
''As long as I'm healthy and I've got that will to win races, I'll keep riding.''
