COLAC-born jockey Ryan Maloney played down his perfect ride on Garud to win the $35,000 Mac’s Hotel Woodford Cup at Warrnambool yesterday.
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Maloney simply summed up the victory over Magnapal and Turnitaround, saying he was happy to have ridden the best horse in the race.
“There’s not much to say. I was on the best horse and had an ideal run. I was going to win the race a long way out. It all panned out how I thought it would after we drew barrier one,” he said.
“I just had the perfect run. I never spent a penny in the run. I won pretty easy.
“I suppose the best way to describe it was a push-button ride and win. This race was easier than what Garud has run against previously.”
Greg Hoysted, stable foreman for top Flemington trainer Michael Moroney, praised the ride of Maloney on the seven-year-old gelding.
“It was a brilliant ride by Ryan. We had no cause to worry at any stage. We thought Garud was a couple of classes above his rivals and it showed today.
“Ryan rode Garud like he was the best horse in the race and he was. Garud’s raced in far stronger races than what he ran against here. It was an easy kill for him,” Hoysted said.
“I think Michael will now set him for distance races in town. He’s been a bit of a bridesmaid during his career as he’s run 14 minor placings but with the win here I’m hoping he’s back on track.”
Maloney, 29, told The Standard he had been a key trackwork rider for Moroney for a few years before shifting to Cranbourne, where he rides work for Robbie Griffiths.
“I used to ride a lot of trackwork for Michael at Flemington but I shifted down to Cranbourne and work for Robbie so I could not keep on riding work at Flemington,” he said. “I was Michael’s number one bush rider for a fair while but then I shifted.
“It’s great that he never seems to forget me. He throws me a bone every now and then and today was one of them.”
Garud gave Maloney the first leg of a winning double. He was also successful on Gilago for Griffiths.
Nikita Beriman shared the riding honours with a double.
She won on Kalkidan and Precious Journey in