Damian Browne outsmarts rivals to snare Sunshine Coast Cup on Sir Moments

DAMIAN Browne felt rival jockeys were overplaying the bias against the inside section at Corbould Park and took full advantage to win the Sunshine Coast Cup on Sir Moments.

Trainer Steve O'Dea after Sir Moments took out the Sunshine Coast Cup. Picture: Grant Peters, Trackside Photography

DAMIAN Browne felt rival jockeys were overplaying the bias against the inside section at Corbould Park on Saturday and took full advantage to win the Sunshine Coast Cup on rejuvenated galloper Sir Moments.

Trainer Steve O’Dea described a sense of “relief” after the six-year-old ticked his earnings beyond the $800,000 mark.

Sir Moments trucked into the race beautifully approaching the home turn and Browne was happy to stick to the inside as others searched for ground wider out.

“They have been getting too far off the fence,” Browne said.

“Yes, about two off is probably a little better, but I don’t think there’s been the need to get five and six wide, so I was happy to take the run.

“I tried to ride him like the best horse in the race and give him confidence to build into it.

“I could feel him building underneath me. He probably lost sight of Flamboyer for a few strides and that trimmed the margin up.

“I think he needed something like that to give him confidence going forward.”

Damian Browne outsmarted his rivals on Sir Moments. Picture: Grant Peters

O’Dea said the Sunshine Coast Cup had been the goal for this campaign and he had not thought beyond Saturday’s race.

“It’s been a really frustrating couple of years, going back to 2015, when he ran so well in the Hollindale and looked a live player in the Doomben Cup but didn’t end up running,” O’Dea said. “This season he was obviously disappointing in Melbourne and we brought him home.

“First-up at Eagle Farm was hard to get a line on him, but he ran much better on Magic Millions day. It’s just very pleasing and satisfying to see him come here under the big weight and beat them.”

Sir Moments narrowly beat Flamboyer, who almost gave the Kelly Doughty stable a race-to-race double after medical miracle Arki continued his unbeaten return from injury in the Class 6 Handicap.

Doughty has done a superb job with Arki, who spent two years on the sidelines before a triumphant return from a tendon injury in November. Doughty said she had persisted with Arki, a 660kg hulking gelding, because of the ability he showed as a three-year-old.

“He only had nine starts but he ran in really good races,” she said.

“Obviously he did his tendon so he had to be put away with some time off so we sent him to the paddock and thought we would see what happens.

“Now we’ve got four in a row with him, it really is just great.”

Hong Kong reject Oberland won his sixth race with a powerful finish in the final event.

Trainer Rob Heathcote said Oberland had been sold to Hong Kong interests for $200,000 but a vet inspection knocked the horse back.

“I think he will end up winning more than that, so hopefully it turns out a blessing,” he said.

Ahndras targets Oaks campaign

JEFF Lloyd feels improving filly Ahndras can only continue to improve as trainer Toby Edmonds sets his sights on an Oaks campaign later in the season. Edmonds is keeping both the ATC (Randwick) and Queensland (Eagle Farm) Oaks open as options.

“She’s been up a while so it might be that she needs a break soon, which would mean we set her for the Queensland Oaks, but I will let her tell us,” Edmonds said.

Ahndras stepped from maiden grade to open 3yo company and showed a nice turn of foot at the top of the straight after Lloyd decided to circle the field to avoid potential trouble.

Jeff Lloyd steers Ahndras to victory at Sunshine Coast. Picture: Grant Peters

“It got very messy at the 800m point so I decided to get going early, so it was a different scenario to her previous win, where she only got there late,” Lloyd said. “She was a bit green out there on her own, but I liked the way she was strong to the line.

“She was looking for the mile today and I’ve got no doubt she’s going to get over further now.”

Ahndras is a daughter of Smart Missile from the family of Group 1 winner Charge Forward and the 16-times winner Kidman’s Cove.

â–  MEMORIES of prominent owner-breeder Jack O’Hagan came flooding back when Secret Mo landed some good bets to win the 3YO at Caloundra.

Lindsay Gough, who was the final trainer O’Hagan used, said the owner had long regarded Secret Mo as a good prospect.

“He always said that on type, this was the best horse he bred. Hopefully he’s right,” Gough said.

O’Hagan died in late 2015 and Secret Mo races in his colours for the family.

“We have had the carnival in the back of our minds for some time and I’m not surprised he measured up today,” Gough said.

Originally published as Damian Browne outsmarts rivals to snare Sunshine Coast Cup on Sir Moments