Top Melbourne jockey Damian Lane has landed in Japan on Monday morning in a bid to resume his riding license with the Japan Racing Association (JRA).

 

Lane rode successfully in Japan last year and made the quick dash following Saturday’s Bendigo meeting, flying to Sydney before exiting Australia on Sunday.

 

The champion jockey is eligible for a three-month license in Japan and is now in strict isolation quarantine for two weeks before being allowed to ride.

 

Lane still needs approval from the JRA before he is officially allowed to return to the saddle but made the trip in the hope he can get the green light and then ride Salios in a Grade 1 feature on April 19.

 

With interstate jockeys blocked from competing at the Sydney autumn carnival due to quarantine restrictions, Lane made the decision to exit Australia earlier than he had initially planned, given it was always his intention to return to Japan at some stage this year.

 

Lane rode more than 35 winners in Japan during a two-month stint between April and June last year before returning to Japan under a special license to partner Gr.1 Cox Plate (2040m) winner Lys Gracieux to victory in the Grade 1 Arima Kinen (2500m) last December.

 

Work behind the scenes keeps racing going in Victoria

 

Brad Rawiller has heaped praise on Victorian Jockeys' Association (VJA) chief executive Matthew Hyland for his tireless work during the Covid-19 pandemic.

 

Rawiller said without Hyland representing the 170-plus members of the VJA, there was a strong possibility racing may have ground to halt.

 

"Matt Hyland has done an amazing job going through what he has in the last two weeks. He has stood up and coped with it all," Rawiller said.

 

"He's been there for all jockeys.

 

"We've been under a lot of stress with what we're going to be doing in the next day or two days and Matty has looked after everyone.

 

"At the same time he has had to make some big calls quickly which has been to the benefit of the racing industry."

 

Rawiller rode a double at his home town meeting at Bendigo on Saturday which is usually well-attended by locals.

 

But with strict biosecurity measures in place, the nine races were run behind closed doors.

 

"They have put in place very strict protocols for us to be able to continue and everyone in the industry is adhering to those rules in place,” Rawiller said.

 

"We are giving the government great confidence going forward."

 

Jockeys in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland have been segregated into different zones to help minimise the spread of Covid-19.

 

Racing in Australia is continuing under strict conditions as it is in Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore.

 

 

 

Joao Moreira has become the fourth jockey to rack up 900 winners in Hong Kong.

 

Moreira rode five winners at Sha Tin on Sunday with racing continuing in the Asian centre throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.

 

The meeting went ahead after the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) received a late exemption to proceed under new regulations limiting gatherings to four people.

 

The HKJC said the government had also granted it permission for the meetings on April 1, 5 and 8.

 

Moreira reached the milestone with his fourth winner of the day and joins retired champions Douglas Whyte and Tony Cruz, and contemporary rival, Australian ex-pat Zac Purton, as the riders to reach 900.

 

He achieved it at his 4094th ride at a win strike-rate just shy of 22 percent.

 

"It's a great mark to reach but I want to be looking back on it, leaving it behind," Moreira said.

 

Moreira's five-timer took him back to the top of the jockeys' premiership on 94 wins, two ahead of Purton who rode a double on the program.

 

New York racetrack turned into hospital

 

Aqueduct racetrack has been turned into a temporary hospital site to help some of the many affected by Covid-19 in the New York City area.

 

"Aqueduct Racetrack will serve as a safe haven for those recovering from this virus," New York Racing Association chief executive Dave O'Rourke said.

 

"We recognise that we all must work together as a community to meet this challenge and emerge stronger for it."

 

Aqueduct's winter racing had been scheduled to end on Sunday and its next fixtures were to run from April 2-19.

 

The NYRA's next meeting is the 51-day schedule at Belmont Park from April 24.

 

"NYRA is continuing to strategise the safest options for a return to racing at Belmont Park, while prioritising the health and welfare of our staff and the racing community," O'Rourke said.

 

"A revised live racing schedule is an ongoing consideration, but secondary to our primary commitment to the health and well-being of the community."

 

Some tracks in the United States are continuing to race with public lock-outs while others like Santa Anita have been forced to shut down under local government health rules.

 

The Kentucky Derby, usually held in May, has been postponed until September.

 

 

New Zealand-bred galloper Juneau Park made it back-to-back wins when victorious in the Class 4 So Uk Handicap (1400m) at Sha Tin on Sunday.

 

It was the John Size-trained four-year-old’s fifth start in Hong Kong and jockey Joao Moreira was suitably pleased with the effort under a 60kg impost.

 

“My opinion is high, he’s a nice horse,” Moreira said. “Only good horses do what he has done – I know he had a suitable run but he had to improve to win today carrying top-weight.

 

“He hasn’t been exposed, he hasn’t raced too many times and he’s only gone forward. This indicates to me that he’s not a bad one.”

 

The Ocean Park gelding raced fifth along the fence, shifted out at the top of the straight and wound up into a raking run that took him to the lead 250m out. The near 1300lb bay kept on gamely to win by half a length.

 

“He’s a bit big so he needs momentum and he had that today, it helped him to win,” Moreira said. 

 

“It’s hard to predict where he’ll get to ratings-wise but the improvement he’s shown means he’s pointing up.”

 

Juneau was purchased out of Henley Park’s 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale for $80,000.

 

Moreira kicked off the first of a quintet with an easy six-length win aboard the John Moore-trained son of Tavistock, Above, in the Class 4 Tai Hang Tung Handicap (2000m). 

 

The other New Zealand-bred winner on the card was venerable five-year-old Band Of Brothers. The son of Sakhee’s Secret has won five races for ex-pat Kiwi trainer Paul O’Sullivan, who has 22 wins for the season, making it all but certain he will better last season’s effort of 25.