Patrick Moloney has answered an SOS to ride in New Zealand following the suspension of fellow Melbourne jockey Jake Bayliss.
Moloney hasn’t ridden since he was in New Zealand at the beginning of the month before embarking on a Whitsunday Islands holiday.
Bayliss was lured to New Zealand to ride for the Mike Moroney and Pam Gerard stable as well as Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott but was suspended at Ellerslie last Saturday.
Moloney is the stable rider for Moroney in Melbourne.
“I’m going over to ride for Mike,” Moloney said.
“I’m riding She’s A Thief at Te Rapa on Saturday and The Boy Wonder at Ellerslie on Sunday in stakes races and I’ve also got four rides at Tauranga on Friday.”
Moloney rode a winner at Otaki on December 1 and again at Ellerslie the following day, but also had the indignity of parting company with The Boy Wonder at Ellerslie.
He’s fresh and eager for his return at Mornington on Wednesday, where he has one ride, before flying out to New Zealand on Thursday.
“There was no pressure on me to go over,” Moloney said.
“Mike said I could ride them if I wanted as they’re heading to bigger races if they perform up to expectations.
“It doesn’t mean I have first call on them in the main races coming up as Jake’s there as stable rider.”
Moloney said She’s A Thief, who won on debut for Bayliss at Te Rapa, looks a nice prospect ahead of a 1200m two-year-old set-weights and penalty race while The Boy Wonder runs over 2100m in a three-year-old race at set-weights and penalties.
The Boy Wonder shapes as a natural stayer, according to Moloney.
“The race was over on the turn but he was getting to the line quite well,” Moloney said.
“But around the 150-metre mark I parted ways with him when a horse shied out in front of me.
“I clipped its heels and fell, but luckily we got out of it alright.”
