The experience of working at the sometimes tricky Moonee Valley circuit proved beneficial for Hooked in the Crystal Mile.
Trainer John Thompson took the opportunity to work Hooked at Moonee Valley’s Breakfast With The Best on Tuesday morning and it provided the entire’s new connections a win at just his second start in the new colours.
Ridden by Craig Williams, Hooked ($5) scored by a length-and-three-quarters over Bull Point ($8) with Desert Jeuney ($26) a half-head away third.
Williams paid tribute to Thompson’s preparation of Hooked and especially for taking the entire for a look at the track.
“He wouldn’t win a maiden on his work the other morning,” Williams said.
“John Thompson knows him really well and the whole idea was to come here, put him on his own and just have a look at the place.”
He also noted that Hooked would derive improvement from the run, his first start on a left-handed track.
That next start is expected to be in the Emirates Stakes (1600m) on the final day of the Flemington carnival.
It has Williams excited with the drop back to handicap conditions after the entire ran the 1600m trip in 0.2 secs outside of the course record.
“He’s run really good time, but most importantly he will gain great experience from that,” Williams said.
“He was lost, he was on his wrong leg, so it was really good.”
Thompson said he went into the race with concerns after Hooked’s trackwork at Moonee Valley on Tuesday morning.
“Game day, he’s put it altogether,” said Thompson.
“He had something to follow and the plan was to try and pinch a break on the corner.
“It was an 11 out of 10 ride by Craig.”
