Derby win for Byrne
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Jim Byrne returns to scale after his big win on Riva San
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Local hoop Jim Byrne returned to the saddling enclosure aboard Riva San to cheers of well wishes from his many fans.
“Good on ya, Jimmy” came from every corner at Eagle Farm after the jockey secured the Group 1 BMW Queensland Derby 2400m.
Riva San (F3 Any Given Sunday-Best River) made it two Group 1 wins straight after backing up from her victory in the Queensland Oaks 2400m a week earlier.
The Oaks ride cost jockey Scott Seamer a suspension and Byrne was called upon as his replacement for the Derby.
The filly finished two lengths clear of second placegetter Petushki (Leith Innes) while $3.30 race-favourite Moatize (Craig Williams) ran home a further length and a quarter behind for third.
“I didn’t want to push her too hard but let her find her feet,” Byrne said.
“After the Oaks the other day I expected her to be a little bit firey and I was anticipating that she would probably be closer than what she bobbed along at nicely.
“We got into a little bit of interference and got a bit crunched up on the fence but to her credit she just kept jumping up onto the bit.
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Riva San had a big of connections there to enjoy the win (Noel Pascoe photos)
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“I wanted to be out and rolling by the half mile but that wasn’t to be. As soon as I peeled her out I knew she would finish it off well.”
Trainer Peter Moody wasn’t at Eagle Farm for the win but foreman Danny Hickey was confident Byrne would be the right person for the job.
“We wanted to put a local jockey on her that knew the track. Jim’s very underrated up here but as you can see he’s done the job,” Hickey said.
“We were just going to see how she pulled up after the Oaks during the week. It’s not every day you get a run in the Derby. She’ll go for a spell now and come back for the Spring.”
QUEENSLAND Racing web news: Claire Power – June 7
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