Patrick Moloney showed his quality at Ellerslie aboard a willing partner in On
The Rocks to boost long-term classic hopes for the well-related colt.
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 that
landed them major honours in the Listed Trevor Eagle Memorial (1500m).
Moloney is Moroney's stable jockey in Australia and jumped at the opportunity
of a quick-fire trip to New Zealand to fill in for a suspended Jake Bayliss,
another Victorian-based rider who has undertaken a six month riding stint based
in Matamata.
"Mike gave me the call up and I was really impressed with the way this horse
won," said Moloney, who was also successful on stablemate Bocce at Otaki on
Friday. "He's got a lot of upside."
By Alamosa out of a half-sister to the Gr.1 Melbourne Cup winner Efficient, On
The Rocks jumped to the front and set an easy clip before sprinting on the
turn.
"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' performance saw his odds for his autumn target – the Gr.1
Vodafone New Zealand Derby (2400m) - tumble from $31 to $12.
"He's a really nice colt, I've got a lot of time for him," Gerard said. "The
inside draw helped dramatically and it was a fantastic ride by Patrick."
The filly Kapoor was on the pace all the way and she chased gamely in the
closing 400m to take second ahead of the warm favourite Demonetization.
The previously unbeaten colt settled three back on the fence and was doing his
best work in the closing stages. – NZ Racing Desk.