It’s been a week of mixed fortunes for the newest additions to Hong Kong’s riding ranks.
While Luke Currie is in hospital after fracturing his T7 vertebrae in a fall during a trial on Friday, his fellow Australian rider Daniel Moor is celebrating his first win in the city after Bingo Bingo swooped late to land the second section of the Class Four Wai Yip Handicap (1,200m) at Happy Valley on Sunday.
There was just a short-head separating Bingo Bingo from the Zac Purton-ridden Awesome Treasure at the line and Moor was delighted with his mount’s performance.
“We had a beautiful run and there was really good speed,” Moor said after settling Bingo Bingo one-off the rail in third and unleashing him in the home straight.
“We were able to stalk Zac [Purton] at every point we could and we just proved on the line that we had a better run in transit.”
Moor was keen to thank Bingo Bingo’s trainer Danny Shum Chap-shing for the ride and emphasised the hope that this winner would be the first of many.
“I’m very pleased that he’s put me on a chance like him,” Moor said. “He was very close up last start and he was a ride worth having in the race, so I’m thankful for the opportunity. I’ll get my tail down, my head up and keep working.”
Moor had been kept waiting a little while for his first win, saluting with his 18th ride after making his Hong Kong debut on January 30, and felt he might have broke his duck at Thursday’s Sha Tin meeting.
“I thought I had a good chance on Lucky Maryknoll last week but she unfortunately pulled up with an issue, so it’s good to get one in,” Moor said.
The lightweight rider is determined to make the most of the opportunity afforded to him in Hong Kong and is clearly not the complaining type despite having to undergo three weeks quarantine when he arrived in the city.
Daniel Moor starts Hong Kong journey after whirlwind few months
“It hasn’t been all easy however I feel that it’s a great opportunity,” Moor said. “Not everyone is given a licence to ride in Hong Kong, so to go through minor hurdles and inconveniences is well and truly worth it.”
The next target for Moor is to up the quality of his mounts but he realises that will not be easy given the stiff competition he faces every week.
“It’s obviously difficult to secure good rides when we’ve got the star jockeys riding as well as they are, but hopefully we can roll on,” Moor said.
“I’m riding quite light and feel as though I’m picking it up quite quickly so hopefully onwards and upwards.
“Some of the rides I’m getting are not super-great quality but the rides are there. I don’t worry about my strike-rate. The more rides I have, the more experience I get.
“We’ll just work away, the light weight is a good advantage and hopefully that can get me in better races further down the track.”
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