Family connections had a hand in Australian jockey Michael Cahill making a dream start to his Hong Kong career with a winner at his debut ride on the John Moore-trained Able Choice. 'I couldn't be happier,' said Cahill after making no mistake with what turned out to be a steering job on Able Choice to continue Moore's domination of the griffin ranks this season.
'It's been a fantastic day. Hong Kong racing is world renowned and has lived up to everything I had heard, everything I had expected. And to win my first ride, what a great way to start,' added Cahill.
'It's always nice to win and especially when I can help get one of the Aussie boys off on the right foot,' Moore said. 'It's interesting because my wife, Cheryl, knows Michael's wife Maxine very well from Australia. Michael's wife is on the staff of the place where Cheryl has horses there, where they train the warmbloods for the equestrian events.
'They have known each other for seven years. When John Schreck mentioned to me that Michael was coming here for a contract, I thought then we could put him on this horse. He has never really had one rider who was on him all the time. Basil Marcus trialled him one time and Eric Saint-Martin has been on him but he wasn't anyone's ride as such.'
Brisbane-based Cahill was not due to start his contract as a Club rider until Monday, but had his term lengthened to include yesterday's card when compatriot Steven King decided to ask for an early release from his contract and left Hong Kong after last Wednesday night's meeting.
The stroke of luck brought Cahill's start date forward and the family link came into play. 'Maxine works with the Olympic equestrian horses and she has an overseas stint of her own later this year when she goes with the Australian horses to Spain for the World Cup,' Cahill said. 'I don't think John knew about it before I got up here but our wives know each other very well.' Maxine Cahill is due to join her husband in Hong Kong shortly.