Vlad Duric sees it as making the most of the good fortune he’s been handed.
His main supporters among the training ranks regard it more as a good business decision.
Duric has taken over the role made vacant by the untimely departure of Mark Zahra as main Melbourne rider for the country’s biggest stable, Darley Australia.
And at Sandown on Wednesday he demonstrated why with a treble of winners, including two in the maroon and white colours of Darley principal, Sheikh Mohammed al Maktoum.
“You’ve got to use what you’ve got when you can,” Duric said.
“At this time of the year a lot of jockeys are interstate so it’s a good opportunity to be noticed.”
Duric opened his Sandown account with Vital in the Easter Sunday Handicap, added to it a race later won Duplicity Jones in Easter Saturday Plate for trainers Colin and Cindy Alderson and completed the treble on Euphorbia in the Designer Coolrooms Handicap.
Duric said Euphorbia had given him the greatest satisfaction.
“You just have to cuddle her and hope for a bit of luck,” he said.
Euphorbia got the luck and Duric supplied the vigour to get the mare home in a tight finish ahead of Marielle and pacemaker Panzanella.
Duric’s Sandown treble was his first in town since returning to Melbourne last year after a successful stint in Singapore.
