Last year’s Winterbottom Stakes runner up Moment Of Change gets his chance to go one better this year in the Group 1 $750,000 weight for age 1200m sprint at Ascot in Perth on Saturday.

Moment Of Change gets his chance to go one better in this year’s Winterbottom Stakes. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.

Moment Of Change was beaten by a lip by top Queensland sprinter Buffering twelve months ago and Caulfield trainer Peter Moody feels that his triple Group 1 winner is at the right point in his preparation and will be hard to beat.

“I think there’s a bit more upside this year going from Flemington to Perth,” Moody told the Herald Sun.

“That was a good effort at Flemington. That’s about where he sits in the food chain.”

Moment Of Change kicked off his Spring Carnival campaign in fine form with a first up second to Hard Stride in the Listed $120,000 Winslow Group Regal Roller Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on August 16 but then pulled up sore after finishing last of eleven in the Group 1 $400,000 New Zealand Bloodstock Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on August 30.

Moody was then forced to give the six year old a few weeks to recuperate from a back injury before resuming for a three quarters of a length eighth to Lankan Rupee in the Group 1 $1m Sportingbet Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on October 24 followed by a three lengths fifth to Terravsita in the Group 1 $1m Darley Classic (1200m) at Flemington on the final day of the four day Melbourne Cup Carnival.

“He had a bit of a freshen-up in the middle of his campaign as he hurt his back,” Moody said.

“He never runs a bad race”.

Luke Nolen will again be aboard the Barely A Moment gelding after partnering him at six of his last seven starts including back to back Group 1 wins at Caulfield during the Melbourne Autumn Carnival in the $400,000 Sportingbet C.F. Orr Stakes (1400m) and the $500,000 Cathay Pacific Futurity Stakes (1400m).

The final field of thirteen for the Crown Perth – Winterbottom Stakes was released on Monday and Moody is hoping for some good luck at today’s barrier draw at the Crown Perth after Moment Of Change wrapped up his preparation with a solid hit out at Breakfast With The Stars at Ascot this morning.

One of Moment Of Change’s main opponents will be the Robbie Griffiths trained Angelic Light who beat him home when a nose second to Lankan Rupee in the blanket finish of the Manikato Stakes.

Angelic Light has settled in well into her new surroundings in Perth and Damien Oliver will make the trip back to his home state to ride her after the pair’s narrow defeat in the Manikato Stakes.

Moment Of Change has been marked at $4.60 for the Winterbottom Stakes with Ladbrokes.com.au behind the $3 favourite Angelic Light.

The John O’Shea trained Sidetsep shares the next line of betting with local chance Magnifisio at $7 ahead of Bel Sprinter and Shining Knight at $11.