Shaun Cooper makes a flying start to 2025 at the Merton picnic

Shaun Cooper was rather a latecomer to making it into the saddle as a hoop. The 34-year-old did not have his first race ride until the 2017/18 season, failing to ride a winner that campaign. Since then, he has proven to be one of the most consistent hoops on the country circuit in Victoria.

All Too Creedy wins the Merton Cup

The feature race of the afternoon was the Merton Cup over 1900m. All Too Creedy was the winner for trainer Don Dwyer with an enormous impost of 65.5kg on his back. That was quite a weight to carry and still run out a one and a half length winner.

The seven-year-old was picking up the ninth win of his career on his 49th start, a solid return from the veteran. All of those nine have come under Cooper, 0/21 under any other hoop but 9/28 when Cooper has been in the saddle.

Add to that seven seconds and five thirds in those races and in 21 of the 28 they have teamed up in, they have finished in the frame. That is an incredible record from the pair and they should be noted when they are back in partnership again.

Geoff Brunsdon is off the mark for the season

It has been quite some time since Geoff Brunsdon was able to celebrate a winner. The last time that one of his horses saluted was back in the 2020/21 season! A losing run of 80 or so runners was ended in great style at Merton with Cooper the catalyst for the stable’s success.

Persuasive Star and Enough War were the two winners in question, both in maiden contests. The former was breaking his maiden at the 45th time of asking while the latter was at least only taking her sixth go to get off the mark.

Enough War has been given some stiff tasks, running at Moonee Valley and Wangaratta the last two times that she has been racing. Those were over shorter distances, trying 1600m for the first time in her career on Wednesday. That clearly suited her and while she is no star, Brunsdon might be able to pick up another win or two from her this season at the right level.

An exceptional strike rate for Shaun Cooper

For any top jockey, a strike rate in the range of 15-20% is outstanding. Cooper has ridden winners at a 25% clip over his career so far, including a couple of seasons that he has won at more than a 30% rate.

While he is not a hoop that is given all that many opportunities in terms of volume of rides, his win rate has always remained excellent. 148, 145 and 144 rides in each of the last three seasons show that the chances are not there but he has ridden 49, 30 and 44 winners in those years.

Cooper already has 17 winners to his credit this season so is well on the way to another season in the region of 40 winners. He went close to a fourth on Wednesday at Merton and remains a hoop to keep on the right side of at the picnics.

Summary

In five of the last six years, Cooper has been champion picnic jockey. He’s not ridden a single horse at a metro meeting but that has not stopped him from carving a niche for himself as one of the best at what he does in Victoria.