Patrick Moloney makes return at Sandown

Jockey Patrick Moloney has completed quarantine on his return from Singapore to ride in Melbourne.

Patrick Moloney is the second of three Singapore-based riders to return to Melbourne and has landed rides in two races at Sandown.

Singapore racing has been halted because of a spike in coronavirus cases in the country and Moloney along with Daniel Moor and Michael Rodd have returned to Melbourne to continue riding.

Moor was the first back and has already got on the scoreboard registering his third winner at Ballarat on Sunday while Rodd remains in quarantine.

Moloney finished quarantine on Sunday and has rides for his father, Gerard, partnering Youl Thrashem and Indernile at Sandown on Wednesday.

“It’s disappointing that Singapore racing isn’t able to go on due to the circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 situation,” Moloney said.

“I stuck it out over there as long as I thought was reasonable before I needed to return home because racing was still going to be a while off returning.

“I thought I’d come back home, keep my fitness up and keep my eye in through race riding.”

Moloney spent the 14-day quarantine period locked in a hotel with his partner Jess.

Hotel staff came to the party supplying an exercise bike while the couple did a number of on-line work-outs to while away the hours.

“I’m a bit of a fitness junkie so I was keeping fit and trying to keep myself occupied,” Moloney said.

“But it can be pretty tedious and boring and there was some low patches during the day, but luckily enough we had each other to get us through.”

Moloney intends returning to Singapore when racing is given the green light to resume.

But Moloney said getting back there may be tricky with the border closures.

“I was just starting to get a good foothold up for the season,” Moloney said.

“I missed the first month due to a delay in getting my visa through, then I started to get a good roll on, got into the top 10 and started getting some good rides in Group races that were coming up.”

Back home Moloney says he is happy to go anywhere for a ride.

“Not many people realise I’m home, so I’ll go where I can to get a good ride,” he said.