Victorian Vlad: Duric relocates to Melbourne to help launch daughter Sage’s riding career

The four-time Singapore champion jockey will move south from Brisbane to try his luck in the early part of the spring as he helps kick start the riding career of his daughter, Sage.

Sage Duric (right) is following in the footsteps of her jockey father, the Caulfield Cup-winning Vlad Duric (left). Pictures: Grant Peters, Trackside Photography / Getty Images

Caulfield Cup winner Vlad Duric will relocate to Victoria this week to help launch his daughter’s riding career as he looks to land some early spring riches of his own.

Duric, who on Monday returned from a hit-and-run trip to Singapore, will drive to Melbourne to be with his family after living in Brisbane since moving back to Australia earlier this year.

How long he stays in Victoria will be determined by the success he is having on the track, but Duric wants to see if he can land a blow in some early feature races after a hot run of form in Queensland’s winter carnival.

His daughter, Sage, is an apprentice to Phillip Stokes and will soon kick off her racing career.

Sage Duric kicks off her racing career soon. Picture: Scott Barbour — Racing Photos via Getty Images.

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“She isn’t far off riding in races so it is a good opportunity to go down and spend some time with her, help coach her up a little bit to get her going,” Duric said.

“I want to be a part of it process for her – it works out well timing-wise for me to go down there around this time, it blends in nicely to be home for a bit.

“I thought it was a good time to go down there and see my family, we have been separated since we got back basically.

“The better races are kicking off soon so it would be nice to get some rides during the carnival to see how it goes.

“I want to try and have a crack down there and see how it goes, I don’t know how deep I will go into the spring, we will play it by ear.

“I want to be back in Brisbane for the two-year-olds heading to Magic Millions.”

Eighteen years ago … Jockey Vlad Duric with his daughters Sage (back), 3, Liljana, 4, and Audrey, 3 weeks. Picture: File

While Victorians generally look to move to Queensland in the depths of winter, Duric said his daughter’s career was the most important part of his move.

“She loves it, she is super keen and loves the racing game,” he said.

“Out of the three girls we have, she is the one that has taken an interest.

“Sage is a chip off the old block, she loves her football and loves her racing like me, she is quite involved and we are hoping she can do well.”

Originally published as Victorian Vlad: Duric relocates to Melbourne to help launch daughter Sage’s riding career