Top jockey ruthlessly sacked by football agent Kia Joorabchian joins exodus to New Zealand
Kevin Stott, who was flying high in the first first half of last year as first jockey to the powerful Amo Racing team, has had a disappointing 2024 in Britain
A top jockey who rode for football agent Kia Joorabchian’s powerful Amo Racing has left the country.
Danish-born Kevin Stott, 30, was a rising star when he took up the job as ambitious Amo Racing’s first jockey at the start of last season.
He had announced himself with his first Group 1 win on Hello Youmzain in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot in 2020 and partnered a career best 116 winners in 2022.
He was appointed by Joorabchian in February 2023, riding future champion King Of Steel to finish second in the Derby and won on the colt at Royal Ascot as well as partner the owner's first Group 1 winner.
But by August the association was over when Joorabchian was unhappy with the ride of King Of Steel in the Irish Champion Stakes, saying he “wasn’t given the best chance to win” and sacked the jockey by text.
This year without Amo support Stott, who rode 93 winners of £2.4 million in prize-money in 2023, has been unable to match the score without Amo support.
He was now arrived in New Zealand, where another jockey from Britain, George Rooke, recently moved full-time.
“I had always really wanted to come down and see New Zealand,” Stott told NZ Racing Desk. “I have been to Australia, America, Dubai, Qatar and Bahrain, and I thought I would come down here and have a look.
“The quality of racing is getting better and the increase in prize-money is a massive plus. I am really looking forward to getting going,” he said.
Stott is based in Cambridge, close to the Cambridge Stud where Hello Youmzain now stands as a stallion.
“That was the best day in my life in terms of riding career,” Stott said. “Unfortunately, it was during the pandemic, so there were no crowds.
“It is something that I will never forget, obviously your first Group One is massive, and I was lucky enough to ride another Group One last year on a very good horse.
“I have ridden some very nice horses and have a lot of experience all around Europe and all around the world.
“I believe the people in New Zealand appreciate you if you work hard, and if you work hard, they reward you,” he said.
“That is definitely something I will be doing. Hopefully I can reward them with winners as well as they can reward me with rides.”
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