By his admission, ‘it took a while’, but amateur jockey Sebastian Galea is finally in the winner’s circle.
Riding the Joseph Craig-trained Pridepluck ($5) at Moree on Saturday, Galea scored a half-length victory on the Gunnedah galloper in the 950m Maiden Plate.
The 17-year-old went to Moree confident of breaking through but said he tried his best to keep a lid on the excitement while maintaining a level head.
“It was in the back of my head to be confident going to Moree, but I didn’t want to be overly confident either,” Galea explained.
“At the last few meetings, I went in a bit too confident, things didn’t go as planned, and I left a bit disappointed.
“Still, going to Moree, I was happy with my rides, and I knew something could have won, but I had to keep myself together, and it paid off well.”
Pridepluck was a six-start maiden heading into Saturday’s race, and the four-year-old started the outsider in the five-horse field, but that didn’t get in the way of the stable’s confidence and a good victory.
“Looking at the prices after the race, it was the outsider of the field, but it was a very fair field,” Galea said.
“Two runs back, it was a good run (at Gunnedah), and I knew if it could reproduce that, it would be a good chance, and obviously it was.”
Galea was still coming to terms with his victory when asked about it.
“I still can’t explain it, I was very numb and happy and over the moon,” Galea said.
“I didn’t know when my first win was going to come and to happen yesterday, it’s really good, and I’m very happy.
“Moree has always been a track I wanted to ride at, and I want to do the Golden Triangle, and I will, and it’s a good way to start it.”
It’s been a rocky start for Galea, and many racing fans will be happy to see the youngster in the winner’s circle.
Galea looked to have the world at his as an NSW-based picnic jockey, with the 17-year-old linked with Connie Greig in Dubbo before kicking off his career at Bedgerabong and Cobar earlier this year.
Galea conceded that things didn’t work out and that he needed time away to get himself in the right frame of mind before returning to race riding.
“I rode at Cobar and Bedgerabong, and a spanner got thrown in the works at Dubbo, and it didn’t work out,” Galea said.
“I took a break, refreshed myself, and spent some time in Queensland with Steven O’Dea and Matt Hoysted.
“I wanted to fix a lot of things up with my riding, and with trackwork, it’s helped, and I’m a better rider.
“Plus, I learned so much, and Steve and Matt were good to me, and it was a very good short period up there, and I’ve matured, and it’s made me a better person.”
The young jockey is back home and wants to make his mark on the NSW picnic racing scene.
“I am just freelance riding for Mum (Janelle Galea), Garyr Lunn, Michael Mulholland, and whoever needs me,” Galea said.
“I’m on Pridepluck again next week; it’s going to back up at Coonamble, so I’ll be there and start going everywhere I can.”
In other results at Moree, the always-strong pairing of Moree trainer Peter Sinclair and leading picnic jockey Ricky Blewitt came to the fore in the Boolooroo Moree Picnic Cup (1400m).
Blewitt rode the locally-owned Fiocchi ($1.60), which proved to be a popular winner in the $7,000 feature race.
Tamworth picnic jockey Todd Bailey won the Moree Bracelet on the Jacob Perrett-trained Keep Me Loyal ($7).
In another good result, it was nice to see Zara Lewis back in the winner’s circle.
At only her second meeting back, Lewis won on the Douglas Fernando-trained Lady Cornelia ($2.50) in the 1600m Class Two Handicap.
In no surprise, Australia and NSW premiership-leading picnic jockey Leandro Ribeiro rode a winning double, helping the Natalie Pearce-trained Leviticon ($5.50) to a decisive win in the 950m Class B Handicap before winning on the Connie Greig-trained Blackhill Kitty ($5) 1200m Class Three Trophy Handicap.
For all results from Moree, click here.
For the NSW picnic racing calendar, click here.
