PORT Macquarie jockey Ben Looker bravely smiled as he watched Navy Buoy win the TAB Highway Handicap at Randwick on Saturday from the jockeys’ room at Moree racecourse.

Looker had the choice of one ride at Randwick for Port Macquarie trainer Paul Snowden or a full book of rides at Moree, including ghostly-grey Toowoomba mare Prucia.

Looker elected to head bush and was rewarded when Prucia defied an alarming betting drift to win the 950m Haddad Transport Maiden Handicap for Alyssa and Troy Sweeney.

Meanwhile, in Looker’s absence, Tommy Berry and Navy Buoy led all the way to win the Highway Handicap at Randwick by nearly three-and-a-half lengths.

“I’ve had a pretty frustrating day,” Looker smiled.

“I could’ve ridden one in Sydney – the Highway winner for Paul Snowden –  but it’s good to come back to the bush.

“I was able to win a Moree Cup on Belflyer, so it’s a track that means a lot to me,” he said.

Looker’s frustration was tempered when Prucia led all the way to win by a length from Kawatiri and Paddy Cunningham’s Spirit of Destiny.

Prucia, having its fourth start, drifted in betting from $1.40 on Friday to $2.80 at post time after strong support saw Geoff O’Brien’s runner-up Kawatiri firm from $2.30 to $1.85.

Ben Looker brings Prucia back to scale at Moree on Saturday.

“He came here with the right formlines and drew the one alley – he was always going to be hard to beat,” said Looker, who has three rides at Tamworth today.

“He did get softened up through the middle stages but to his credit, he quickened on straightening and was able to hold them at bay.

“I was always in front on the fence. There were a couple outside me putting on the pressure, but I had the one alley and was able to dictate to them,” he said.

Prucia arrived in Moree with a third-placing at Ipswich two starts back – strong form for a Moree Sky 2 maiden.

“I doubt any of those runners could go to Ipswich and run third,” Looker said.

“He was very well place today, especially from the one barrier.”

Looker, Glen Innes born-and-raised, will now look towards the rich Inverell Cup carnival, where local trainer Todd Payne has him booked for Shamedy in the $45,000 Inverell Cup.

This year, Shamedy has won cups at Deepwater and Bundarra, as well as the Guyra Cup at Armidale. The gelding also finished second in the Walcha Cup.

“I’ll head to Inverell again for sure,” Looker said.

“I’m booked for Shamedy in the cup for Todd, and maybe a couple of others.

“I always get to Inverell every year. I’m a Glen Innes boy, and I’ve been trying for 15 years to win the Glen Innes Cup, so I’ll be back there this year.

“I don’t have a ride yet (in the Glen Innes Cup), but we’ll know after Inverell whether Shamedy goes that way,” he said.

The Inverell carnival starts on Boxing Day, where the club has received 41 nominations for six races, including 10 runners for the 1200m Goodwood Cup.

Acceptances for the Boxing Day meeting will be declared at 9am tomorrow, December 23.

The carnival continues on January 1 with eight races and $285,000 prize money.

The $45,000 Inverell Cup (1400m) headlines the card, supported by the $30,000 Inverell Shorts (1050m) and $50,000 Brian Baldwin Super Maiden (1400m).

Nominations for the cup meeting close next Monday, December 29 at 11am.