Matthew Cameron
Top Fortuna Jockey
Matthew Cameron is currently New Zealand’s Premiership leading jockey, having ridden 43 winners so far in a racing season that is just over three months old. Matthew is Stable rider for the powerful Te Akau Racing Stables, New Zealand’s most successful training establishment over the past decade. As Stable rider for Te Akau Racing, Matthew usually rides Fortuna Syndicate horses on race days and in track work.
Aged 25, Matthew was apprenticed as a young teenager to Taranaki trainer Alan Sharrock, remowned as hard taskmaster of young apprentice jockeys. Matt’s hard work and natural riding ability paid off when in 2005/06 he was awarded the prestigious Champion Apprentice Jockey Award by New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing.
Matthew moved north to Cambridge in 2006 to establish himself in the Northern region. During that period, he fashioned a reputation for hard work, strong riding skills and good judgement. Matthew also had a stint in 2007 riding in Sydeny for trainer, Gerald Ryan.
Matthew’s career took a big leap forward in the Autumn of 2011, when he made an unsolicited approach to Te Akau Racing supremo, David Ellis, seeking the then vacant position of Stable rider for Te Akau Racing. Ellis gave him a trial, culminating in Matthew’s appointment as Stable rider for Te Akau from August 1st. Since then, a combination of Matthew’s top qualiity riding skills and the riding opportunities presented by being assocaited with a top stable have seen Matthew take a dominant position in the current season Jockey Premiership.
Fortuna Director, John Galvin, is fulsome in his praise for what Matthew Cameron has added to the Te Akau Racing/Fortuna strategic partnership. “ Matthew had big boots to fill, following on from former top Te Akau Stable riders such as Opie Bosson, Michael Walker and James McDonald, but he has demonstrated he is right up to the task. He is a very good listener, has excellent tactical sense, is very strong in a finish and his post race comments to myself and our owners are first class. He has all of the attributes to go right to the very top in his riding career.”