DAMIEN Oliver has secured four rides at Moonee Valley on Saturday, his first metropolitan meeting back from a disqualification and suspension. Oliver, outed for placing a $10,000 bet on Miss Ocopussy at Moonee Valley on October 1, 2010, returns to riding at Geelong on Friday where he has five rides, reports Racing Network.
While Oliver may have been in disgrace, trainers have rallied around the Hall Of Fame jockey.
The 41-year-old has attracted support for four different trainers - Gai Waterhouse, Leon Corstens, Paul Beshara and Darren Weir - at Moonee Valley on Saturday.
Oliver’s key ride is Happy Trails in the $300,000 Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes, the horse that presented him with his last Group 1 winner - the Emirates Stakes on the final day of the VRC carnival.
Ironically, it is the last day that Oliver rode as Racing Victoria stewards issued its penalty after he admitted he had placed a bet via a mobile phone in the jockey’s room at Moonee Valley in October 2010.
He rides Divine Calling for Waterhouse; So Bella Arella for Corstens and Lord Of Brazil for Weir.