The newly crowned 'Princess of Hawera' was back at work on Monday, after riding an incredible six winners at a race meeting over the weekend.
Apprentice jockey Hazel Schofer earned the title at her local Taranaki racecourse on Saturday, earning praise from one of our very best in the process.
"We're back at Hawera today, riding jumpouts, so no... straight back into it," she tells Newshub.
Schofer, 21, was back at the scene of the most successful day of her young riding career, where the winners just kept coming during a performance that saw her rise to racing royalty.
Her winners, including three in a row, were:
Race three - Shanghai Express
Race six - Tavi Mac
Race seven - Jazamour
Race eight - Beckidboo
Race nine - Dolcetto
Race 11 - Aricina
"I went in pretty confident with a few of the horses," says Schofer. "I thought maybe I could get two or three, but I definitely wasn't expecting six."
You have to go back nine years to find the last time an apprentice saluted six times in a day in New Zealand. Sydney-based James McDonald rode half a dozen back in 2011.
"Congratulations Hazel on a huge effort riding six winners at Hawera," he tweets. "It was a fantastic day for you, something you should be very proud of.
"Keep up the good work."
Schofer is chuffed to hear from McDonald.
"That's pretty special," she says. "He's had an illustrious career and so have the seniors that have won six on a day.
"If I could be half as good as them, I'd be super happy, but it's pretty cool to have my name alongside theirs."
Schofer's six came on a day that saw all 12 races won by female riders. She's serving her apprenticeship with New Plymouth trainer Allan Sharrock, who knows he has a special talent on his hands.
"They run for her," he tells Newshub. "She's very kind to the horses and she's got a brain.
"She rides with maturity and rides back in the field, which a lot of apprentices do struggle with at her stage of riding.
"Hazel's got an uncanny knack of keeping her cool and presenting horses at the right time."
Having already matched the feats of one of our best, Hazel Schofer's sure to celebrate plenty more winners in the years to come."
