Egypt Sandown win just Magic

Jockey Craig Williams credited his study of Hong Kong hoop Joao Moreira for his winning ride on the Mark Kavanagh trained Egypt at Sandown yesterday.

The Brazilian born Moreira, dubbed the 'Magic Man', is mooted as one of the best - if not the best - riders in the sport today but it was Williams who looked a magician when he burst through late on Egypt to grab victory.

Confronted by a wall of horses in the straight and in a seemingly hopeless position Williams exhibited extraordinary patience and timing on Egypt bursting through late between runners to draw away for a one and a quarter length win.

Of his predicament in the straight Williams told on course interviewers,

"I'd been watching a lot of tapes with Joe Moreira and I thought

'oh this is going to look ugly' if not I can hopefully do a 'Joao' and as it turned out I had the right horse and I was able to be patient get the run and she won with authority by the way that she was held up and accelerated."

Egypt showed no qualms taking the run between leading pair Atomic Lokade and Miss Polly Beat and put paid to those fillies in a manner of strides.

"I can't do it unless I have a willing horse. I guess that she was blocked but not baulked and she stay balanced and I think that was really important. For that win I'd have to thank my time studying some video's of Hong Kong racing."

Lightly raced, Egypt has now won two of her seven starts and been placed on a further two occasions. She is a daughter of Golden Slipper winner Sebring and was purchased by her trainer at the 2014 Gold Coast Magic Millions Yearling sale.

Egypt may possibly target the Group Three VRC Vanity Stakes at her next run.

Egypt's win brought up a double for the Kavanagh stable following the win of Tears of Joy in an earlier race.

The daughter of Street Cry made it back to back wins and showed for the second time she doesn't shirk from a fight.

After fighting back to beat off Show Us Your Tatts at her previous start at Geelong Tears of Joy responded similarly to the urgings of jockey Mark Zahra to wear down leader Firenze and stave off challengers Tranquil Miss and Saone Et Loire.

"The thing of Robbie Laings (Saone Et Loire) put the pressure on coming into the straight but I reckon it suited her," Zahra told on course interviewers "because they got to her but the last fifty she was really starting to dig deep and pull away."

Tears of Joy has now won three and been placed on eight occasions in her seventeen starts. She has improved with maturity and it is expected she will make further improvement as she steps up in distance.

A daughter of the aforementioned Street Cry, Tears of Joy is a member of New Zealand's famed Eight Carat family which includes Octagonal, Peruzzi, Viscout, and Tristalove to mention just a few.

Photos are courtesy of Mark Gatt, Slickpix