Trainer Peter Moody believes that Better Land has the talent to win the 2014 Golden Rose, but admits that he lacks the race smarts of talented stablemate Bring Me The Maid.
Better Land finished second behind Scissor Kick in the Rosebud before having no luck in the Up And Coming Stakes. Photo by: Steve Hart
Bring Me The Maid is a clear favourite in Golden Rose Stakes betting markets at a quote of $3.80, while Better Land is on the third line of betting at Golden Rose odds of $7, but Moody told Racing Ahead this morning that Better Land has generally outworked Bring Me The Maid in the lead-up to the Group 1 event at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.
“Him and Bring Me The Maid have prepped up side by side the entire preparation and to be honest he has always slightly shaded the filly,” Moody said.
“That tells you what ability he has got, but he obviously doesn’t have the seasoning or the race smarts that she possesses.
“Where that is going to leave him in regards to her you just question, but I feel one day that he will catch up to her.
“It might be too soon, I’m not sure, but Blake Shinn is very keen on his chances.
“He has ridden both he and Bring Me The Maid and he is very happy to be riding the colt.”
Better Land started his 2014 Spring Racing Carnival campaign with a close second behind Scissor Kick in the Listed The Rosebud (1200m) at Royal Randwick on August 9 and had his winning chances severely hampered by Liberation when he finished fourth in the Group 3 Up And Coming Stakes (1300m) at the same venue on August 23.
Moody believes that Better Land is due some luck in the 2014 Golden Rose Stakes and is of the opinion that the Shamardal colt will be able to produce an even better performance on what should be a firmer track this weekend.
“He is a colt that we always believed had good ability and he has had no luck in his two runs in this time,” Moody said.
“I think he is another that will improve on the improving ground, even though he has won on the wet and run well on it, I think that he has shown us at home that he is better suited on the slightly better ground.
“His work has been very good and we have added blinkers to his gear.
“He raced in winkers, but I think that he needs the full set mainly for the reason that he indicated to me in his couple of runs that he is racing like a mile plus horse.
“The three weeks between runs has really suited, the blinkers will keep him sharp for the 1400 and his work has been first rate.”
Moody is chasing his first win in the Golden Rose after he finished second with Dissident in last year’s race.
