Daniel Moor rewarded with Chairman’s Stakes victory aboard Inkaruna after morning call-up to replace ill Craig Williams

Daniel Moor had to rush to get to Sandown after a late call-up to ride Inkaruna in her Chairman’s Stakes win, but the filly is unlikely to run in next month’s Blue Diamond.

Inkaruna (inside) held on for a narrow win over Sword Of Legacy in the Chairman’s Stakes at Sandown. Picture: George Sal/Racing Photos via Getty Images

Angles meant everything in the latter stages of the Group 3 Chairman’s Stakes at Sandown.

The camera angle at Sandown left many thinking the Dom Sutton-trained Sword Of Legacy ($3.60) had won the $200,000 feature but the photo revealed jockey Daniel Moor had guided Inkaruna ($6) to a debut win.

Moor, who only picked up the ride on Inkaruna on the morning of the race, took the shorter way home on the inside of runners in the straight.

He said that decision was not his usual method.

“Especially on young horses, I hate going back to the inside as they rarely quicken up in the inside because we don’t work them like that,” Moor said.

“We tend to sit off and come around to the outside.”

Inkaruna by a nostril in the Chairman's Stakes! 🤏@FreedmanRacing@daniel_moorpic.twitter.com/rMPNkxfpXY

— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) February 1, 2025

Moor said he had to rush to get to Sandown to ride Inkaruna after getting the late call-up when booked jockey Craig Williams stood down from riding on Saturday through illness.

“I had a ute full of horse feed and we were up working (on his farm) but we got here on time,” Moor said.

“I’d had a bit to do with her in the past and she was worth rushing to get here for.”

Co-trainer Sam Freedman said Moor earned his chance to ride Inkaruna after steering the I Am Invincible filly in a Mornington jumpout last month.

“Craig was engaged for the ride and was very unwell so thoughts are with Craig,” Freedman, who trains Inkaruna in partnership with his father Anthony, said.

“Daniel had had a sit on her at the jumpouts so, again a reward for a bit of hard work because he picked up the ride.”

Daniel Moor made it to Sandown on time to ride Inkaruna after Craig Williams stood down because of illness. Picture: Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images

Freedman said missing a jumpout through weather made the stable wait a week to give Inkaruna her debut run.

He added the delay also made it difficult to run Inkaruna in next month’s Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m).

“We don’t really love that Chairman’s into the Blue Diamond set-up, 1000 to 1200(m),” Freedman said.

“There’s plenty of options here and in Sydney.”

Last Saturday’s impressive Blue Diamond Preview winner My Gladiola is the $4 favourite in the latest Blue Diamond Stakes betting.

Dominant Ballarat debut winner Aleppo Pine, who easily won a Caulfield Heath jumpout midweek, shares the second line of betting at $8 with exciting Sydney winner Wodeton.

HAT-TRICK FOR NEW YORK LUSTRE

New York Lustre led only where it mattered most in the Benchmark 90 (1200m) at Sandown to nail She’sallshenanigans on the post.

The runner-up led and almost pinched the race but favourite New York Lustre, trained by Enver Jusufovic, would not be denied under star jockey Jamie Melham.

“I was slightly wrong … last start I thought she’s wanting 1200 she’s going to eat it up,” Melham said.

“A few things went wrong for her then but she wasn’t fantastic at the 1200m, she definitely peaked on the line.”

New York Lustre just gets it done in the opener! 🤏@[e-mail]/5pb1SbJcho

— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) February 1, 2025

New York Lustre has four of seven starts including three in this campaign.

“She commenced the campaign in a Benchmark 58 and now a multiple city winner and a Benchmark 90,” Jusufovic said.

“The second horse was hard to run down with the claim, their tactics today were spot on and to get her on the line, this mare has got a will to win, onwards and upwards.”

FIRST IMMORTAL BACK TO BEST

First Immortal lapped up 2400m to win the Benchmark 100 at Sandown on Saturday for trainers Mark and Levi Kavanagh.

The stayer, rated a treat by champion jockey Blake Shinn, stalked leader LE DON DE VIE and took over in the straight for a comfortable victory.

First Immortal is back in the winners circle! 👏

Could he be on an Adelaide Cup path? 👀@MarkKavanaghRac@Levi_MKavRacing@blake_shinnpic.twitter.com/Dac48ajAfI

— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) February 1, 2025

“Blake rode him a treat today and it panned out perfectly,” Levi Kavanagh said.

“There’s a couple options around, maybe we step him out further, maybe head to Adelaide … just great to have him back in form.”

Beltoro and Mystery Island finished second and third respectively.

Unplaced favourite Night Endeavor pulled up with a lame right hind leg.

REVELARE REVELLING IN SANDOWN HEAT

Melbourne Cup-winning trainer Robert Hickmott could have a spring contender on his hands after Revelare’s record breaking win.

Revelare showed no ill effects of his win in hot conditions last Saturday, breaking the 15-year-old Sandown Hillside 1800m record by more than 1.5sec.

Jockey Ryan Hurdle was again aboard the exciting galloper, who will head to Flemington for his next outing.

“We want to get him to Flemington, on the big track, and have a look at him over 2000m, which I think he will eat,” Hickmott said.

“After that, we’ll assess, but we might put him away and look at the spring.”

Originally published as Daniel Moor rewarded with Chairman’s Stakes victory aboard Inkaruna after morning call-up to replace ill Craig Williams