Managing owner Rob Slade has revealed that Moment Of Change could be stepped up to a mile to run in the Group 1 Toorak Handicap (1600m) and Group 1 Emirates Stakes (1600m) during the 2014 Spring Racing Carnival.
Moment Of Change scored two wins at Group 1 level during the 2014 Melbourne Festival Of Racing. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Moment Of Change has had only one start over a mile during his racing career, when he finished 12th behind Mosheen in the Group 1 Royal Randwick Guineas (1600m) in 2012, and has since done all his racing between 1000 metres and 1200 metres.
Slade told TVN that the Barely A Moment gelding will begin his spring preparation in either the Group 3 Aurie’s Star Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on August 9 or the Listed Regal Roller Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on August 16 before returning to his favourite track and distance for the Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on August 30 and the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) on September 28.
Moment Of Change could then step-up to a mile for the Group 1 Toorak Handicap (1600m) at Caulfield on October 11 before finishing his campaign in the Group 1 Emirates Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on the final day of the 2014 Melbourne Cup Carnival.
“He needed a good break; he hadn’t had more than three weeks off for about nine months before that,” Slade said.
“He’ll then target the seven-furlong races at Caulfield like the Memsie Stakes and the Sir Rupert Clarke and after those we can look at races like the Toorak and even the Emirates.
“After such a long break and a year older he might run a really strong mile now.”
Moment Of Change started he autumn preparation with an upset defeat to Richie’s Vibe in the Group 2 Australia Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on January 24 before scoring back-to-back wins at Group 1 level in the Orr Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on February 8 and the Futurity Stakes (1400m) at the same venue a fortnight later.
The five-year-old was dropped back in trip for the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on March 8, but was outsprinted when asked for an extra effort in the final stages of the race and finished a disappointing 12th.
Moment Of Change has scored seven wins from his 22 race starts to date and he has accumulated over $1.5 million for connections after being purchased for $50,000 at the 2010 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale.
