As a perennial underperformer they were going to finish him, that was until jockey Noel Riordan showed up

IL TEMPO was a champion New Zealand stayer by the sire TIME AND AGAIN out of TIMING who raced in the mid 1960's through to 1970. Bruce Priscott paid $600 for the weanling but needed patience and time to develop the laid back gelding that had hooves as large as dinner plates. It took his trainer Priscott to the age of seven before he finally displayed his best. He is considered probably New Zealand's greatest ever two miler and one of the fastest horses to ever run over the distance. When the Wellington Cup was run over two miles (3220m), he won it in a world record time of 3:16.2.

To do this he defeated a top quality field, including HIGHLAND REBEL, who ran second and also champion race mare HONOUR ME, who finished third. This long-standing world record still holds as an imperial world record today. To put this into perspective, the record holder of the two mile Melbourne Cup is RAIN LOVER, with a time of 3.19.1, set in 1968. The Melbourne Cup distance was changed to 3200 metres (about 20 metres shorter) in 1972. But being this quick over long distance wasn't always the case for IL Tempo, who showed very little promise early on in his career.

During a period of limited opportunities for riding, Noel Riordan would routinely extend his search, travelling from Te Awamutu to Cambridge and Te Rapa to engage in trackwork. He gained support from Te Rapa trainer Bill Winders, who had Riordan come across to ride his budding 3yo star, PETERMAN. Bruce Priscott asked Noel to jump aboard IL Tempo, who hadn't shown much on the track, so Noel duly obliged.

Although IL Tempo was a tough little gelding, he seemed to be away with the fairy's most of the time and struggled to 'switch on' in races. The horse ran his best trackwork yet and Noel ended up being the only jockey that ever won on him. He would never go with anyone else on board. IL Tempo liked to sit back and then mow down the whole field in the straight to prove his worth. Somehow, Noel was that lone single jockey that could ignite the fire and drive the horse home.

The remarkable affinity between Riordan and IL Tempo would see the pair combine to win four times over two miles, including, two Auckland Cups, the Wellington Cup, (breaking both track records) and the Chalmers Handicap at Trentham carrying 62kg. Riordan also rode GRIZZLY to win the Telegraph the same day he won the Wellington Cup, which was a remarkable achievement, especially since it was trained by his brother Des. Riordan's list of feature race winners also included EVENSTEAD (Easter Handicap, 1600m) DANDEINEE and FAIRFLEET, top winters gallopers CAPTAIN JEST (Listed Cornwall Handicap 2000m) and OAKVILLE LAD (Listed Founders Plate and Listed Winter Oats), as well as the Gr.3 Avondale Cup (2200m) on TARDINI, who was also trained by Des Riordan.

Il Tempo was top-weight and hot pre-post favourite for the 1970 Melbourne Cup, but Noel missed an opportunity to ride in the Flemington feature after the horse injured a tendon when breaking down running a 1:39.0 mile in a training gallop, but he still landed a ride in the cup, on a Winders horse, LUCKY STRIKE. Although that horse was a roughie, Noel put him in front with a round to go so the owners would have a photo of the horse leading the field past the winning post. The race was won by BAGHDAD NOTE; the Wingatui grey turned up at Melbourne in 1970 and caused a big upset in the Cup.

Riordan received much success with PETERMAN, winning the 1965 Gr.1 Great Northern Derby (2400m), Gr.2 Wellington Derby in 1966, Gr.3 King's Plate (1600m) and the Gr.3 Trentham Stakes (2400m). Riordan also got the call-up to ride in Sydney. After riding a few winners he was asked to stay, but his everlasting devotion to his wife, Marlene, and young family saw him turn the offer down and return to Matamata.

In the Chalmers, Riordan had unusually positioned the lazy IL Tempo to set the pace and still out front leading at the 300m mark when the rest came to attack. After being passed he looked a goner, but IL Tempo picked up from the 200m mark to power on and win, bringing delirious excitement from the crowd. It said everything about how the two excelled together and the connection between man and horse. When IL Tempo retired, his earning totalled $101,938 which was a record for a horse raced solely in New Zealand. Over the two miles the horse ran seven times, for four wins, two seconds and a third. He was an out-and-out stayer in the truest sense. When he registered his 2nd Auckland Cup win in 1970, IL Tempo became the first horse since CHEVAL DE VOICE in 1938-39 to win successive Cups, displaying his stamina and sheer tenacity at the distance.

Noel Riordan's father died when he was four and he was one of 10 children brought up by their mother. At the age of 13 he and his brothers, Des (then 15) and John (11) left their New PIymouth home in 1948 to sign on as apprentice jockeys with Te Awamutu trainer, Jack McDonald, who later prepared the NZ Racing Hall of Fame inductee MAINBRACE. Riordan kicked home his first winner, BRIGHT MORN on April 4,1953. After completing his apprenticeship with McDonald, he left Te Awamutu and headed to Matamata, where he continued his riding career (both over fences and on the flat) and lived for the rest of his life. After his training and riding days were over, Riordan proved a valuable help for his close friend, Matamata trainer Bill Ford, and later for nine years he assisted top trainers Dave and Paul O’Sullivan.

Noel, who rode 357 winners in the saddle, passed away at Matamata, aged 84 in 2019. A quietly spoken, humble man, his deeds on the track and his association with the great IL Tempo will never be forgotten. His brother John, who passed away at 90 was also a top jockey in the 60s, who won the 1963 Cox Plate on SUMMER REGENT. Sometimes the racing hero's, both horse or man, are the one's we least expect.

RACE RECORD (3200m) 7: 4-2-1

TOTAL RECORD 38: 9-5-6

EARNINGS - $101,938

1969 Queen Elizabeth Handicap

1969 Wellington Cup

1969 Auckland Cup

1970 Auckland Cup

Chalmers Handicap

1970 Trentham Stakes