Promising colt Better Land will be having just the second race start of his career in The Rosebud (1200m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday, but trainer Peter Moody believes that the Shamardal colt is worthy of an opportunity in the Listed event.
Kerrin McEvoy has been booked to ride Better Land in The Rosebud at Royal Randwick this weekend. Photo by: Daniel Costello
Better Land made his racing debut with a comfortable three lengths victory in the Turnbull Plumbing Plate (1100m) at Sale on April 6 and he was sent to Queensland for a stint in the spelling paddock before scoring a barrier trial victory at Doomben on July 22.
Moody told Racing Victoria that he is unsure whether Better Land has the talented to compete at the highest level during the 2014 Spring Racing Carnival, but he believes that there is a gap in the male three-year-old division after the fillies dominated at the highest level during both the Melbourne Festival of Racing and Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival.
“He’s like everyone’s three-year-olds; we’re just hoping they improve sufficiently to measure up to the better grade,” Moody said.
“Probably all of this season’s three-year-old colts are in the same bracket because none of them actually shone at two.
“The two best two-year-old colts are maidens, Jabali and Cornrow, so anyone with a three-year-old that they’ve got any opinion of are entitled to have a crack at what is supposedly the better grade.
“I think it is six months too soon, but to get seasoned he’s going to be taking on the better class.”
“This guy is a well-bred colt that I’ve always had a good opinion of.”
Better Land will be ridden by Kerrin McEvoy in The Rosebud after Godolphin trainer John O’Shea elected to book James McDonald on Sarajevo because he will be riding the colt in both the Group 3 The Run To The Rose (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens on August 30 and the Group 1 Golden Rose (1400m) at the same venue a fortnight later.
McEvoy had only one ride for Moody during the entire 2013/2014 racing season, but he was able to steer experienced mare Floria to victory in the Group 2 Brisbane Cup (2400m) at Eagle Farm on June 7 and he partnered La Venta when she took out Schweppes Handicap (1400m) at Rosehill Gardens last Saturday.
Better Land is currently available at odds of $7 in The Rosebud betting market with Ladbrokes Australia, with Godolphin colt Sarajevo ($2.70) still a narrow favourite from Nayeli ($3.10).
