Ballarat apprentice jockey Alana Kelly made the most of an opportunity to ride for one of Australia's biggest owners with both hands at Moonee Valley on Saturday by scoring on imported stayer Degraves.
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Trained by Ballarat-bound Rob Hickmott, the five-year-old was having his third start in Australia for Lloyd Williams and steamed home in the Powerflo Solutions Handicap, 2040m.
Hickmott said Kelly had got the luck at the right time to allow Degraves ($2.90 favourite) to get his nose in front on the line.
The Caulfield and Melbourne Cups nomination edged out the Ciaron Maher-David Eustace pair of Heart Of Puissance.($6) and Dr Drill ($21).
Hickmott, in reference to engaging Kelly, said Williams liked to give young people opportunities in the industry.
Kelly said she had been instructed to be patient on Degraves, which won at his first Australian start at Flemington..
She said she was impressd by the speed he had shown in the closing stages.