Melbourne’s leading trained Peter Moody still has high Spring Carnival hopes for Il Cavallo and is expecting an improved performance in the Group 3 $150,000 H.D.F. McNeil Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on Saturday.
Il Cavallo, blue, red and white checked cap, finished 4th to Safeguard at Caulfield. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.
Il Cavallo had a tendency to over-race when one and a half lengths fourth to Safegurad in the Group 3 $135,000 Legacy 90th Anniversary Vain Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on August 17 and Moody will add a Norton bit and a tongue tie to his gear for Saturday in bid to rectify the problem.
“If he learns how to race properly, he could certainly beat those sort of colts over the sprint courses,” Moody told Racing Network.
Moody had spruiked Il Cavallo as a Golden Slipper two year old after winning his maiden by almost four lengths at Sandown in March, but the Choisir colt failed to live up to his wrap.
And after failing to gain a start in the Group 1 $3.5m Tooheys New Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill on April 6, could only finish seventh to Safeguard in Group 3 $125,000 Ticketek Kindergarten Stakes (1100m) at Randwick the following week.
Moody is hoping the extra gear will help Il Cavallo realise his potential when he lines up with stablemate Thermal Current on Saturday.
Moody has also tinkered with Thermal Current ‘s gear and the Exceed And Excel colt will wear blinkers for the first time in the McNeil.
Moody took Thermal Current to the country to break his maiden status with a one and three quarter lengths win over 1100m on the Geelong Synthetic on August 16 and will give him another chance to prove himself in the city.
“The colts worked strongly on the course proper at Caulfield this morning and it’s a hot race – you expect that at this time of the year,” Moody said yesterday.
“It will be interesting to see where they measure up and the race will give us a realistic guide to see where we head with each of them.”
The McNeil looks like developing into a hot contest with Blue Diamond Stakes winner Miracles Of Life resuming from a spell and Tony Vasil’s Prince Harada kicking off his Caulfield Guineas campaign.
