Peter Moody’s racing manager Jeff O’Connor has revealed that the stable is hoping Floria can replicate the feat of Cinque Cento and win the 2014 Doomben Cup in Brisbane this weekend.
Floria is chasing her maiden win at Group 1 level in the 2014 Doomben Cup in Brisbane this weekend. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Cinque Cento scored an upset win in the 2007 edition of the Doomben Cup after winning the Group 2 Queen Of The South Stakes (1600m) at Morphettville three weeks earlier and the Moody team have followed the same path with Floria heading into the Group 1 event this weekend.
Floria started her autumn preparation with a narrow second in the Group 3 Tressady Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on March 1 and had no luck in the Group 2 Sunline Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley on March 21 and the Group 2 Emancipation Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens on April 5 before returning to her best form with a narrow second place finish behind Tango’s Daughter in the Queen Of The South in Adelaide on April 26.
O’Connor told RSN this morning that he believes that 2014 Doomben Cup field, which was released this morning, is fairly soft for a Group 1 weight-for-age event and believes that Floria is capable of causing an upset, like Cinque Cento, this weekend.
“Floria is an interesting one in the Doomben Cup,” O’Connor said.
“We are trying to follow a similar thing that we did with Cinque Cento four years ago.
“She won the race in Adelaide that Floria was nosed out in and went to this race and won it at a 66/1 price.
“Floria’s form is basically identical; she gave away a lot of weight to a very in-form horse in Adelaide, has run well in the Brisbane Carnival for us last year as well as Sydney and has been a very consistent horse for us all the way through.
“We haven’t struck a genuine weight-for-age Doomben Cup, with horses coming off weight-for-age form apart from possibly Streama, and she gets her chance in a Group 1.
“We haven’t really tried her at 2000, but it was a little bit the same with Cinque Cento.
“I am looking forward to seeing how she runs.”
Floria will jump from barrier one in the 2014 Doomben Cup on Saturday and will be partnered by Moody stable jockey Luke Nolen, while stablemate Fat Al will be ridden by leading Brisbane hoop Chris Munce.
Streama ($4.20) remains a narrow favourite from Leebaz ($4.50) in 2014 Doomben Cup betting markets, while Floria is available at the lengthy Doomben Cup odds of $26.
