Globetrotting jockeys Joao Moreira and Tom Marquand have added some star power to the midweek meeting at Hawkesbury, continuing their good form with a winner apiece.
In Sydney for the autumn carnival, the pair both struck blows on the opening day of The Championships on Saturday, Moreira securing the Group 1 Sires’ Produce Stakes on Militarize and the Chairman’s Quality on Surefire, while Marquand celebrated a Group 3 win on The Fortune Teller.
While the stakes weren’t as high at Hawkesbury on Wednesday, the cream rose to the top.
Moreira linked with premier trainer Chris Waller to claim the second race on Beautiful Heart before Marquand got on the scoreboard a race later aboard the Matthew Dale-trained Mystery Shot.
The latter had been out of the winner’s stall for more than two years but relishing the heavy conditions, he surged between runners to post an overdue win at just his fifth start since joining Dale’s team.
“When the owners sent him up to me they pretty much rammed that down my throat, that he will only really put in on a wet track,” Dale said.
“He was coming off a bleeding episode down in Melbourne at his last start so he lost a bit of confidence and we hadn’t been able to find a wet track until today.
“I told Tom (Marquand) to just forget his form and ride him positive, ride him as if he’s in really good form and he did that. He put him into the race.”
Mystery Shot ($10) scored by a half-length over the Kris Lees-trained Sailor ($6.50), while Moreira had to use all his strength to help Beautiful Heart ($4.40 fav) narrowly get the better of stablemate Genetic Freak ($14).
Moreira said the filly didn’t love the wet ground but handled it well enough to get the job done and the decorated jockey was equally happy to come away with a win at his first visit to the western Sydney track.
“No matter what kind of race it is you just want to be winning,” Moreira said.
“She did nothing wrong during the race and when I got her into the clear in the home straight she dashed home like a winner.”
Moreira and Marquand both have strong books at Randwick on Saturday, Marquand’s headed by Dubai Honour in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) while Moreira continues his association with Surefire, a $13 chance with Unibet for the Sydney Cup (3200m).
