Racing is a game of patience as the connections of Santa Ana Moon have discovered.
The Leon and Troy Corstens and Will Larkin-trained galloper landed his breakthrough victory when taking out the Sportsbet Jockey Watch Plate (1200m) at Sandown on Wednesday.
Santa Ana Moon made his debut at Cranbourne last September, running a pleasing third, with connections hopeful of being trackside with the galloper through the spring and summer carnivals.
But the three-year-old was forced to the sidelines, requiring surgery on a knee which put him out of racing for a little over six months.
“He was preparing very well leading into his first campaign, and we would have liked to have got some racing into him as a young horse,” Larkin said.
“These things happen, but we’ve looked after him and he’s looked after us today.
“He needed a bit of surgery to clean out a knee, but outside of that he’s come back very well, and he’s handled everything since he’s been back in work.
“It’s been a faultless preparation, so it’s good to get it off with a win.”
Sent out the $2.15 favourite under Ben Allen, Santa Ana Moon scored a half-length win from Bakersbend ($12) with Oceanella ($14) a nose away third.
Larkin said he would have liked to have seen Santa Ana Moon in a more forward position than having to force his way clear in the straight.
“Being a new horse, they can be a little bit timid at times and whether he was going to take that gap was a question mark,” Larkin said.
“But he went through it well, and I think there is a few more gears that he wasn’t giving us today.
“We won’t go putting too much in front of him yet. The horse is still learning his craft and there’s still a lot to come from him mentally.
“If mentally he can catch up to what he is physically, then we’ll look to step him up.”