DARK Mojo was supposed to be up front and barrelling along in Sunday's $40,000 Moree Cup (1400m) but missed the kick and was back near last before producing a brilliant final 400m to edge out Playing Game in the Moree Race Club’s feature.
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Tamworth jockey Sophie Young rode the Gulgong gelding to secure her second Moree Cup after her 2014 success on Monashee Woods and had to overcome a number of early problems.
“He was a bit slow away,” she said of a pre-race plan that had him jumping to be up in front or on the pace.
“He also hit me in the head and missed the start.”
She gathered her composure and allowed Dark Mojo to find his feet, albeit near the tail, before stoking him up for a final surge and what was a second Moree Cup in three years.
“I can’t believe it,” she grinned.
Dark Mojo stormed home to a 11th career win and prizemoney of more than $185,000.
Gulgong trainer Brett Thompson was equally as excited by the win, which saw Playing Game second and Lonely Orphan rallying, also from back in the field, back to form with a fine third.
“He won first up for us at Narromine this time over 100m at Narromine,” Thompson said of Dark Mojo’s only other win this campaign.
“He paid $60 that day. I told all the owners he was an each way chance but that backed him off the map.”
His runs since have all been good, three placings and two fourths included in his nine runs.
“They are a great bunch of owners,” Brett Thompson said.
“He never runs a bad race for them, can run him in any distance and always runs a good race.”
Dark Mojo has now won Cups at Coonamble, Louth, Baradine.
“My first Moree Cup too,” Thompson said.
“Things didn’t go to plan but she (Sophie Young) rode him a treat.”
Hunter and North West Racing Association now turns to Armidale and Muswellbrook this weekend with the Armidale Jockey Club staging a six-race SKY 2 TAB meeting this Saturday and Muswellbrook a seven-race TAB meeting Sunday.
Feature race Saturday is the $8000 Albies Cup, a benchmarked 50 handicap over 1100m.
It received 14 nominations on Monday in a meeting total of 78.
ALBIES CUP NOMINATIONS (Saturday B50 1100m): Albemarle (Sue Grills) 40, As A Hawk (sally Torrens) 48, Cozumel (Colt Prosser) 51, Gone Romin (Colt Prosser) 50, Indoshadow (Geoff O’Brien) 44, Mansqui (Jane Clement) 48, New Player (Alan Martin) 39,, Queen Of Cardiff (Stephen Gleeson) 48, Relatable (Stirling Osland) 49, Rose Of Kalloni (Sue Grills) 41, Shadow Boss (Terry Vidler) 43, Snitsnbits (Gavin Groth) 47, Tonto Ridge (Tracy Bell) 38, Try ‘N’ Run A Muck (Troy O’Neile) 49.