Injured Moment Of Change Out Until Darley Classic

Managing owner Rob Slade has revealed that Moment Of Change will not return to the races until the 2014 Darley Classic at Flemington on November 8 after he was injured during the running of the Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) on Saturday.

Moment Of Change suffered an injury during the running of the Memsie Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday.

Moment Of Change suffered an injury during the running of the Memsie Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia

Moment Of Change was settled just behind the leader Sweet Idea in the early stages of the race and he looked poised to record his fourth victory at Group 1 level, but he was the first horse beaten and finished at the tail of the field.

A veterinary examination after the race revealed that Moment Of Change had torn muscles in his hindquarters and Slade told TVN that the Barely A Moment gelding would head to the spelling paddock before returning to the races on the final day of the 2014 Melbourne Cup Carnival for the Group 1 Darley Classic (1200m).

“He went from going to win the race on the home turn to dropping right out, so we knew there had to be something wrong,” Slade said.

“Peter says he will only need two or three weeks off before we can bring him back.

“We’re going to look at the Darley Classic (1200m) in Cup week then the Winterbottom Stakes in Perth.

“He can then have a break before getting ready for the autumn.”

Moment Of Change finished a tough third behind Buffering and Shamexpress in the 2013 edition of the Darley Classic, known then as the VRC Sprint Classic before he finished a narrow second behind Buffering in the Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) at Ascot in Perth.

The six-year-old had a brief stint in the spelling paddock before he started his autumn campaign with a unlucky second in the Group 2 Australia Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley in January and he went on to win both the Group 1 Orr Stakes (1400m) and Group 1 Futurity Stakes (1400m) over the 1400 metres course at Caulfield.

Moment Of Change returned to the spelling paddock after he finished towards the tail of the field in the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on March before he returned to the races with a second place finish under the top weight of 62 kilograms in the Listed Regal Roller Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on August 16.

The 2014 Memsie Stakes was won by Moment Of Change’s stablemate Dissident, who is set to have his next race start in the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on September 13.

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Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.