WARRNAMBOOL born jockey Laura Lafferty had her longest-priced winner and first Sydney metropolitan victory when Real Time Warrior won the $130,000 Country Classic at Rosehill on Saturday.
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Real Time Warrior, a $101 hope with the bookies, defeated Five Kingdom by half-a-length in the 2000-metre race.
Lafferty, 23, said it was a massive thrill to win on the Coffs Harbour-trained Real Time Warrior.
"It's great to get my first metro winner in Sydney," she told The Standard.
"I've only had a handful of rides since I moved from Warrnambool. I knew Real Time Warrior was an outsider in the race but he was always travelling well in the run. I was confident at the 600-metre mark he would be in the finish.
"Real Time Warrior was bolting in the run. I only needed a bit of luck and I got it. Prizemoney wise the $130,000 is the richest race that I've won."
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The talented sportswoman, who is on three months loan to top Sydney trainer John O'Shea, is looking forward to more rides after Saturday's victory.
"My first few weeks in Sydney were very strict because of COVID," she said.
"The restrictions have really eased. It's great to see the crowds back at the races. The crowds bring a great atmosphere. I'm hoping more owners and trainers will take note of me now that I rode the winner at Rosehill on the back of my winner at Albury on Friday.
"It's hard work establishing myself in Sydney but I knew it would not be easy. It was made tougher because of COVID but I'm really loving the challenges."
Lafferty, who has ridden 98 winners in her 18-month career, is already booked for some rides at Canterbury's night meeting this Friday and Newcastle on Saturday.
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