A Rose with Caviar – Moody’s perfect day

King's Rose

King's Rose is Peter Moody's Cox Plate hope

“If Helmet is the next So You Think, he will win the Cox Plate, if not, it is a raffle and I am holding a very good ticket.”

That is assessment of Melbourne’s leading trainer Peter Moody who will run ex-Kiwi King’s Rose in Saturday’s 2011 $3m Group 1 W S Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley.

And Cox Plate day could prove to be the best or worst of Moody’s racing life as champion mare Black Caviar is attempting to extend her unbeaten winning streak to 15 in the Group 2 $300,000 Schweppes Stakes (1200m).

Moody couldn’t be happier with King’s Rose who from three runs for the yard.

She won two of them and finished runner-up at her lastest start in the Group 1 Toorak Handicap (1600m) behind King Muhfasa.

The daughter of Redoute’s Choice was sent to Moody mid-year after a great three-year-old campaign for Te Akau Stables’ trainer Jason Bridgman in New Zealand.

King’s Rose strung together a five race winning streak which included wins in the Group 1 1000 Guineas (1600m) .

Importantly she also won twice at 2000m in the Group 2 Royal Stakes at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day and the Group 2 Sir Tristram at Te Rapa in February.

Her form tapered off and she was sent to Moody in May.

She established herself as a Melbourne spring threat  winning the Group 2 Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield in August first up  and the Group 2 Stock Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley at her first look at the track.

King’s Rose was scratched from the Epsom Handicap after tying up and it cause a month between races.

On return she challenged King Mufhasa in the Toorak Handicap but failed to finish him off.

“Her run peaked the last little bit which was understandable as she was having a month between runs,” Moody said.

“I have no concerns about 2000m, Moonee Valley and she has a good barrier.”
Moody eluded to the strength of the 2011 Cox Plate when saying he didn’t believe King’s Rose had to rise another level to win it.

While backing with bookmakers has come for King’s Rose, $15 is still being freely offered about the mare who has shown she is equally good on dry and wet ground.

Black Caviar has scared off opponents with the field of just five runners taking part in the Schweppes Stakes (1200m)..

Some bookmakers are betting on the race without Black Caviar  in the market, others are offering the required $1.04.

“I don’t control what lines up against her,” Moody said.

“She is in very good shape.”

All going well, Black Caviar will line up in the $1m Group 1 Patinack Classic (1200m) at Flemington on November 8 with a real possibility of a hit and run Perth visit for the Group 1 Winterbottom at Ascot on November 19 .

 

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