Diamond Ring gives Moloney first Kranji win
Trainer Donna Logan's newcomer leads all the way to annihilate Restricted Maiden rivals by five lengths
Australian jockey Patrick Moloney - here in Singapore for a one-month stint - didn't have to wait long to secure his first Kranji winner.
After a second placing on hot favourite Winning Hobby and a third on the well-fancied Attention from three rides at his debut meeting on Friday night, the 25-year-old broke through on his first ride yesterday.
Riding the Donna Logan-trained newcomer Diamond Ring, Moloney went from go to whoa in the $75,000 Restricted Maiden event over the Polytrack 1,200m in Race 2.
It was such an easy victory that Moloney was seen easing the $9 favourite up within the shadows of the winning post.
Despite that, Diamond Ring beat fellow newcomer Tobruk by five lengths.
Lee Freedman, who trains Tobruk, saw his other newbie, Mr Alejandro, finishing third, two lengths away.
The race saw the scratching of two chances - Mowgli and Beauty Luck - which depleted the field to only seven runners.
Drawn in barrier 2, Diamond Ring flew the gates for a one-length headstart but Moloney could not get the Falcon Racing No. 7 Stable-owned three-year-old New Zealand-bred to hug the rail. His mount travelled one-off the fence, followed by Master Of Sommelier.
Tobruk crossed in from the outside to sit third, another length behind. Another break away came More Than Oil and Pistachio. Mr Alejandro and Life After U were at the rear, but just five lengths off the lead.
Diamond Ring straightened up a bit wide from Master Sommelier and quickened when shaken up by Moloney.
From then on, there was not a single doubt that the horse would win. It was a question of by how far.
Diamond Ring kicked from the final 200m and said sayonara to his suffering rivals for a massive victory.
Had Moloney not eased down his mount near the line, the winning margin would definitely be more than five lengths and the time faster than 1min 12.41sec for the Polytrack 1,200m,
"Yeah, nice to be on the board," said Moloney of his Kranji baptism of fire.
"I had my first night riding on Friday, didn't have a lot of luck - couple of placings. But, yeah, really good that I've had a few good opportunities since I came here from good trainers, such as Donna today.
"For that horse to get the job done was a real kick for me."
Like Logan, Moloney reckoned Diamond Ring was still learning the game and would benefit from the run.
"Yeah, he's still very green. I was lucky enough to actually get a seat on him in slow work and he was very green then," said Moloney.
"Coming out of the barrier, I wanted to find the fence but he just sort of ran out on me basically, just been a first starter. He just wandered around him at the straight when he was running away from the fence.
"I just wanted to keep him comfortable and happy, because if you've got a happy horse, he'll find for you."
Moloney had three other rides yesterday, including a chance mount when replacing the indisposed Vlad Duric on Constant Justice, but all ran unplaced.
Asked by race presenter Luke Marlow if she was confident of Diamond Ring, Logan said: "Never that confident with a first starter, but we thought he would go a very big race. Like I say, first starter, you never know what to expect.
"Look, he's a lovely horse. He's just still immature. But he has shown us enough to this point anyway."
Diamond Ring is a son of former two-time Singapore Horse of the Year Super Easy, who won 15 races, including three in Group 1.
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