Joao Moreira proves himself with magic ride on Buckaroo in Underwood Stakes victory

Superstar international jockey Joao Moreira wanted to prove himself at Caulfield and did so with an emphatic win aboard Buckaroo in the Group 1 Underwood Stakes.

Jockey Joao Moreira celebrates his Underwood Stakes win aboard Buckaroo at Caulfield on Saturday. Picture: Scott Barbour/Racing Photos via Getty Images

“Magic Man” Joao Moreira stated he needed to prove himself at Caulfield before doing just that when steering Buckaroo to an emphatic Underwood Stakes win.

The superstar international rider had ridden with great success in Hong Kong, Japan and many other countries while making lightning raids to ride in Australia’s big races.

“I haven’t gone (to Caulfield a lot) … a place I’ve got to go and prove myself,” Moreira told News Corp in the lead-up to the Underwood Stakes.

Moreira has made Sydney his base for the spring carnival but headed south to ride Buckaroo for his great supporter Chris Waller.

Moreira had no luck early with Buckaroo forced to race wide throughout before improving around the outside from the 600m.

Buckaroo pounced on the leaders at the 300m before driving clear to give Moreira his seventh Group 1 win in partnership with Waller.

BUCKAROO STORMS AWAY IN THE UNDERWOOD! 🤯

IT'S THE MAGIC MAN, JOAO MOREIRA! 🪄@[e-mail]/h3jM7LBHDa

— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) September 21, 2024

“Impressive the way how he won, isn’t it?” Moreira said.

“Found itself a little bit too far back. But as the race unrolled itself, it kind of got him into the race.

“When I turned for home on the outside, with him having great momentum, I was always confident he was going to get up.

“Nice horse makes jockey’s life so much easier, isn’t it?”

Buckaroo was a dual Listed winner in Ireland before arriving in Australia as part of the Joseph O’Brien stable to contest the Group 1 King Charles III Stakes last spring.

The son of Fastnet Rock went winless in four starts for Waller before connections decided to geld Buckaroo with outstanding results.

Buckaroo won the Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) at Randwick before heading south to post his career-best win in the Underwood Stakes.

Buckaroo surges clear to win the Group 1 Underwood Stakes at Caulfield. Picture: Pat Scala/Racing Photos via Getty Images

The Underwood Stakes has often been a crucial guide to the big spring trio of the Caulfield Cup, Cox Plate and the Melbourne Cup.

Buckaroo is among the entries for all three races.

Ladbrokes tightened Buckaroo’s Caulfield Cup price to $15, his Cox Plate quote to $21 and halved his Melbourne Cup price to $51.

Waller’s representative Charlie Duckworth said the master trainer would decide the rest of Buckaroo’s campaign.

Buckaroo had 3½ lengths to spare on the line over Huetor, who ran on from last while Pericles, the $4.40 second favourite didn’t quite see out the 1800m but held third.

Place Du Carrousel started as the $3.80 favourite but was never a winning chance.

The Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained mare finished six lengths from the winner after being replated behind the barriers.

She got herself into a bit of a state pre-race, which wasn’t ideal,” Place Du Carrousel’s jockey Mark Zahra said.

“I think she just needs to be a little bit calmer before the race and a little bit more cut in the ground would help.”

Originally published as Joao Moreira proves himself with magic ride on Buckaroo in Underwood Stakes victory