Patrick Moloney’s rushed trip to New Zealand has paid dividends with a winner at each of the two meetings he rode at including Derby hopeful On the Rocks at Ellerslie.
The Victorian jockey gave a polished display on Saturday aboard the Mike Moroney and Pam Gerard-trained three-year-old with a front-running ride in the Listed Trevor Eagle Memorial (1500m) a day after he rode stablemate Bocce to win at Otaki.
Moloney is trans-Tasman trainer Moroney’s stable jockey in Australia and delayed a holiday to travel instead to New Zealand to fill in for suspended Victorian apprentice Jake Bayliss who is riding there for for six months.
“Mike gave me the call-up and I was really impressed with the way this horse won,” Moloney told NZ Racing Desk.
“He’s got a lot of upside.
“It wasn’t the plan to lead the race, but after I gave the horse a squeeze out of the barrier he landed there and relaxed,” Moloney said.
“I got away with a couple of cheap sectionals and he held a good, strong gallop down the straight.”
On The Rocks has been cut from $31 to $12 for the Group One New Zealand Derby on March 3.
