Hard work riding in jump-outs at various centres where the majority of jockeys would not ride over the past couple of months has paid a dividend for Daniel Moor.
While not initially booked for the ride on Inkaruna in the Group 3 Chairman’s Stakes (1000m) at Sandown on Saturday, Moor was the beneficiary when Craig Williams could not fulfill his engagements due to illness.
Moor had ridden Inkaruna in a jump-out at Mornington in late December which encouraged trainers Anthony and Sam Freedman to give the jockey a late call up.
“I nearly missed the call,” Moor said.
“I had a ute full of horse feed and was working, and luckily I got here in time.
“I’d had a bit to do with her in the past and she was well worth rushing here for the ride.”
Inkaruna ($6) got her nose down on the line to defeat the $3.60 betting site favourite Sword Of Legacy by a nose with Hot Sea ($4) a further 1-¾ lengths away third.
Sam Freedman said he and his father had liked the filly from the time they inspected her as a yearling on the Gold Coast, but Inkaruna fell outside their budget.
Some hard work on Luke Wilkinson, who manages the filly for Kia Ora Stud, convinced the ownership group to send Inkaruna their way.
Having her first start on Saturday, Inkaruna proved a handful before showing her class on the track.
“She’s usually a calm filly, although she can have her moments every now and then, which the breed can do, but generally she’s pretty sensible,” Freedman said.
“It’s her first day out, it’s a pretty hot day, she had a small saddle on as well, and when we put the rider on, she had a bit of a hump.
“All’s well that ends well.”
Freedman said he will have a discussion with the ownership group in Inkaruna and his team as to whether the filly progresses straight to the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on February 22.
“She was actually due to jump out a couple of weeks ago, which was to be her second trial, but they got called off due to some weather,” Freedman said.
“It would have put on track for the (Blue Diamond) Preview last week, but unfortunately, she had to wait a week.
“I don’t really love that Chairman’s into the Diamond set-up being 1000 (metres) to 1200, but I’ll have a chat to the team, work out what we do, but there’s plenty of options here and in Sydney.”
