Daniel Moor is hoping it’s the Nowyousee he sat on at his nine-length barrier trial win who will show up when he takes his first race-ride aboard the exciting O’Reilly four-year-old on Friday.
Under the Australian jockey’s guidance, Nowyousee, who had then just been transferred from Ricardo Le Grange to Lee Freedman, did not give his rivals a look-in in that hit-out on July 10.
Three weeks later, the three-time winner stepped out for his first race for Freedman as the odds-on $8 favourite, but it was Vlad Duric in the plate. Nowyousee was considered a moral, but he didn’t have the best of getaways, and though he made stacks of ground, it was not enough to reel outsider Country Boss in.
Moor is jumping on this time, and the Victorian jockey, who has been popping up a little more often at the winner’s circle of late, is well intent on getting the Titanium Racing Stable-owned gelding back to winning ways.
In three runs, Nowyousee has not saluted since his all-the-way win in a Class 3 race over 1100m on February 4.
“It’ll be my first time riding him in a race. He’s a very promising horse, he trialled brilliantly for me,” said Moor.
“Unfortunately, I didn’t get to ride him at his last start. He missed the kick a little and pulled two shoes, and got a bit stirred up.
“But his trackwork has been exemplary since. I galloped him this morning and he worked really well.”
After a fair start to his six-month Singapore stint in May, Moor felt the tide was finally turning.
He said he was jumping on top of better quality horses – like Nowyousee. Just for the month of August alone, he brought up a haul of five winners which doubled up his previous score to climb to 12th place on the log on 11 winners.
“When I came here, I was having a good season back home and I had to start from scratch,” said Moor.
“I was lucky to kick off with a win on Mr Clint fairly early, but it took me a while to get to know the system. I had to reset back to zero.
“I’m now getting a good mix of support from both expat and local trainers and it’s been all about building up on that.”
Moor has earmarked Singapore Guineas Mr Clint as one of the high-profile horses he would like to stick with this campaign, although if their latest reunion did not produce anything earth-shattering.
The Power four-year-old could only run 10th to Preditor in the Jumbo Jet Trophy (1400m) on August 12, not quite the expected result even if he was first-up.
“He had a few excuses. He was poorly set at the weights as he had paid the penalty for the Guineas win,” said Moor.
“He had a wide barrier but he jumped really well and couldn’t secure any cover. He’s never shown much in his work, but he’s been working much better since.
“The 1400m was also too short for him. I think he’s looking for 10 furlongs now.” -STC