Huetor paid for Ryan Maloney’s new driveway last start when he won the Group 1 Doomben Cup, now the jockey is looking to strike gold again in the rich Q22 at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
The premiership-winning jockey recently made the move to a new 10-acre property in the Gold Coast Hinterland and jokes he could have it paid off quickly if the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained import continues on his merry way in the $1.2m feature.
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Maloney boasts one of the best metropolitan strike rates in the country but said he was surprised to pick up the ride on Surf Dancer in the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap as well, crediting his new lifestyle for allowing him to shed the kilos and ride light.
Often regarded as a heavyweight rider, Maloney said he is in the best headspace he has been in and believes a consistent training and dieting program has him on track.
Maloney will ride the BRC Sprint winner at 54.5kg in the Stradbroke.
“It is just consistency for me, riding more often for me has helped the weight,” Maloney said.
“If you could have it your own way, you wouldn’t ride Friday and keep yourself fresh for Saturday, but you’ve got to ride there and I find it keeps your body in check.
“It makes it easy to get it off on a Saturday morning.
“I can ride 56kg comfortably and have a good lifestyle, that’s the path I have really decided to go down lately.
“The other thing is the headspace, it is the same for any athlete.
Ryan Maloney is looking for back-to-back wins aboard Huetor on Saturday. Picture: Grant Peters-Trackside Photography
“I have been doing a ton of hot yoga and there is a really good physio-chiropractor I have been seeing every week that does a bit of everything.
“It makes you that much more flexible, which helps the body.”
After winning the Doomben Cup over 2000m, Huetor is the $5.50 third favourite behind Without A Fight ($2.90) and Numerian ($4.80) in The Q22 (2200m).
“He bought me a new driveway when he won the Doomben Cup, so hopefully he can buy me something else on Saturday,” he laughed.
“Alligator Blood got me a new kitchen (Magic Millions, 2020), but unfortunately I had to end up paying for it out of my own pocket (after he was disqualified).
“I couldn’t fault (Huetor’s) work on Tuesday morning.”
While Surf Dancer is a $41 chance in betting, Maloney is adamant his BRC Sprint win at knockout odds was no fluke.
“I rode him on Tuesday and was rapt with his work,” he said.
“He comes out of the right race and should suit Eagle Farm now, if it was 12 months ago I would have been sceptical.
“By all reports he didn’t handle the trip up to Rockhampton for The Archer, but I couldn’t fault his work on Tuesday and he goes in with his chance on Saturday – I have an open mind because some of the fancies have drawn out.”