Vlad Duric wasted no time slotting back into the Victorian jockey scene on Sunday securing a winning double in just his second meeting back from a three-year stint in Singapore.
Photo by Racing and Sports
He may have struck out with a pair of midfield runs on Friday night at Moonee Valley, but the 34-year-old's class shone through yesterday when he steered Beaumaris and Democrat to dominant wins at Cranbourne.
Duric was one of Singapore's most consistent riders when he was in the country, and said the experience moulded him into a better rounded jockey.
“What I find about going away is you're defined by the experiences you have in your life,” Duric said.
“To get outside of the box and the one thing that you know which is Australian racing, to go outside and to meet people and experience another avenue I think grows you as a person.
“That's what I've found the most out of my Singapore experiences. Dealing with different people and meeting different people and a different perspective on it all I think grows you for when you come back.”
After about 16 years as a rider in Victoria, Duric decided at the start of 2009 to act on a long-held desire to ride in Singapore.
He only intended to go over for the winter, but instantly fell in love with the city.
“I'd always wanted to do it and the age my children where, it was either now or never,” Duric said.
“It's a great place to live, a great place to work. You get up in the mornings and you're there at trackwork from six til nine and you've got the rest of the day to yourself.
“Every winner you ride's like riding a city winner so financially it's good.
“You got a bit of a social life and family life there which was really nice and I met some good quality people, I made some close friends there outside of racing.
“They've got big shopping malls everywhere, it's a big city. They've got a large business district, they've got a beautiful river that runs through the city similar to what we have in Melbourne.
“My wife loved the place, it was a great place to be, and I've got nothing but good things to say about Singapore in every way.”
Duric has returned to Australia just in time for the Sydney autumn carnival.
