A decade of waiting for another group 1 win is over for Darryl Bradley - and it could not have come in a more appropriate year.
Bradley (48) has been the driving force behind raising funds for injured friend and fellow jockey Thomas Russell, who was left paralysed after a track work accident at Bulls in June.
More than $130,000 had been raised by the end of September to assist Russell and his partner, Pip D'arcy-Brain, in his recovery.
But it was Bradley who was the focal point after his heady ride aboard Platinum Witness in Saturday's $300,000 New Zealand One Thousand Guineas at Riccarton.
''I'm a believer that you do things for other people and you'll get rewarded and this is definitely a huge reward,'' Bradley said.
''It's just an amazing feeling. It's been so long between group 1 victories for myself.''
Platinum Witness was one of just two fillies to back up from the Two Thousand Guineas a week earlier when she was far from disgraced against the males, finishing fourth behind Turn Me Loose.
The California Dane filly's trainer, Lisa Latta, noticed her charge was slightly more relaxed on Saturday, in contrast to her agitated state before the Two Thousand Guineas.
''She's always shown us a lot of ability. We've had this race set for her and we've gone from there,'' she said.
''She was just a little bit above herself in the birdcage and she raced a little bit keen.
''We decided to race her a bit more patiently today.''
Bradley's previous group 1 win came in the 2004 Captain Cook Stakes aboard Rodin, and his patience in waiting for another group 1 was matched by his calm ride on Saturday.
''Two starts ago, she won at a mile here so I had no doubts about the distance,'' Bradley said.
''Today we just wanted to ride her a bit colder than I did last Saturday. It's worked out superb. She relaxed nice. I followed up Leith Innes on Dramatist throughout the race - came off his back and her acceleration was amazing.''
Belle Miraaj, ridden by Hayden Tinsley, produced an outstanding run to finish third for Ascot Park trainer Gay Robinson.
Robinson and co-owner John Dooley were still getting to grips with the group 1 placing at the stalls 10 minutes after the race.
''This is the best result ever. We're so rapt,'' Robinson said.''
I was really pleased with Hayden's ride. He put her in the ideal opportunity and it was only the fact she was a run short that she probably might have done better.''
The Iffraaj filly missed a run when the Ashburton meeting in late October was abandoned twice and Robinson could not help but wonder if an extra lead-up run could have made the difference.
''We didn't have time to get another one in before today which I was worried about,'' she said.
Belle Miraaj will now have a spell with a view to bringing her back for the southern Guineas races in the New Year.
