I think he goes alright for a youngster. Noticed him in the last 2 years or so, seems to get a lot of decent priced horses in the exoctics.
Not top grade but one I'm happy to have mine on. Think he'll use his city claim well in the new year.
http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,24648402-5016491,00.html
THREE years ago, Cranbourne trainer Michael Kent drove to Tullamarine Airport to pick up his latest stable acquisition.
Waiting at the arrivals baggage claim was a 17-year-old Turkish kid with few possessions and even less English, called Ibrahim Gundogdu.
Three years on and Gundogdu, pronounced Gin-doh-du, is in Adelaide on his quest to finally establish himself in the Australian racing scene.
Being 14,000km from a large supportive family has been a difficult transition for the shy and quietly-spoken apprentice, who is in the care of Morphettville trainer Jon O'Connor during his time in SA.
"People have been really good to me in Australia and given me some opportunities but I miss my family very much. It's very hard being away from them," Gundogdu said this week. "I ring my parents once a week and if I ever gained permanent residency here I would pay for them to come for a long visit."
The son of a builder from the Black Sea port of Samsun, the jockey has four sisters and a brother.
Affectionately known as "the Gundog" by racing followers, Gundogdu first spent a year in Australia in 2004 being taught to race-ride by Mick Kent's brother Rod as part of a joint Australian-Turkish initiative.
He returned to Istanbul, but found there were "too many jockeys and not enough races".
A robust riding style which has produced a winner at each of his three Adelaide metropolitan meetings has caught the eye of several trainers. But getting regular rides in the snake-pit of Victoria was also proving an uphill battle.
O'Connor, a friend of Mick Kent, believes the jockey's best hope to establish himself in Australia is to remain in Adelaide and keep riding winners to attract the attention of the bigger Victorian stables.
"I'm very hopeful we can get approval from stewards for him to stay here for a few months," O'Connor said. "It's not easy in Melbourne at the best of times for someone like Ibrahim but he had no hope getting a ride during the spring carnival.
"Over here he could really boom. My stable desperately needs a jockey like him because we've got a lot of horses up in the weights.
"He's a perfect kid for us and I like him a lot. He's very personable and a natural little rider. He's got a great build for a jockey too and horses just run for him."
Gundogdu would be happy to stay in SA and has already gained the support of other local trainers.
He has a book of six rides for tomorrow's Cheltenham meeting and has also taken six rides at Moonee Valley tonight.
"I'd like to ride some of the really fast horses. I can ride a light weight and would love to get on a good lightweight chance in a Group 1 race to give me a good kick-along," he said.
"I'd really like to be one of the best riders in Australia one day if I can."
The expression of that ambition shows how far Gundogdu's English skills have improved since he first walked out of Tullamarine airport.
THREE years ago, Cranbourne trainer Michael Kent drove to Tullamarine Airport to pick up his latest stable acquisition.
Waiting at the arrivals baggage claim was a 17-year-old Turkish kid with few possessions and even less English, called Ibrahim Gundogdu.
Three years on and Gundogdu, pronounced Gin-doh-du, is in Adelaide on his quest to finally establish himself in the Australian racing scene.
Being 14,000km from a large supportive family has been a difficult transition for the shy and quietly-spoken apprentice, who is in the care of Morphettville trainer Jon O'Connor during his time in SA.
"People have been really good to me in Australia and given me some opportunities but I miss my family very much. It's very hard being away from them," Gundogdu said this week. "I ring my parents once a week and if I ever gained permanent residency here I would pay for them to come for a long visit."
The son of a builder from the Black Sea port of Samsun, the jockey has four sisters and a brother.
Affectionately known as "the Gundog" by racing followers, Gundogdu first spent a year in Australia in 2004 being taught to race-ride by Mick Kent's brother Rod as part of a joint Australian-Turkish initiative.
He returned to Istanbul, but found there were "too many jockeys and not enough races".
A robust riding style which has produced a winner at each of his three Adelaide metropolitan meetings has caught the eye of several trainers. But getting regular rides in the snake-pit of Victoria was also proving an uphill battle.
O'Connor, a friend of Mick Kent, believes the jockey's best hope to establish himself in Australia is to remain in Adelaide and keep riding winners to attract the attention of the bigger Victorian stables.
"I'm very hopeful we can get approval from stewards for him to stay here for a few months," O'Connor said. "It's not easy in Melbourne at the best of times for someone like Ibrahim but he had no hope getting a ride during the spring carnival.
"Over here he could really boom. My stable desperately needs a jockey like him because we've got a lot of horses up in the weights.
"He's a perfect kid for us and I like him a lot. He's very personable and a natural little rider. He's got a great build for a jockey too and horses just run for him."
Gundogdu would be happy to stay in SA and has already gained the support of other local trainers.
He has a book of six rides for tomorrow's Cheltenham meeting and has also taken six rides at Moonee Valley tonight.
"I'd like to ride some of the really fast horses. I can ride a light weight and would love to get on a good lightweight chance in a Group 1 race to give me a good kick-along," he said.
"I'd really like to be one of the best riders in Australia one day if I can."
The expression of that ambition shows how far Gundogdu's English skills have improved since he first walked out of Tullamarine airport.
