Moment Of Change is on track to return to the races in the Listed Regal Roller Stakes(1200m) at Caulfield on April 16 after he impressed in a jump out at Caulfield this morning.
Moment Of Change scored his third win at Group 1 level in the Futurity Stakes during the 2014 Melbourne Festival Of Racing. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Moment Of Change contested a jump out over 800 metres and went straight to the lead in the early stages before cruising to a comfortable victory, despite being kept under a heavy hold by regular jockey Luke Nolen.
Managing owner Rob Slade revealed last month that Moment Of Change would likely return to the races in either the Group 3 Aurie’s Star Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on August 9 or the Regal Roller Stakes on August 16 and he confirmed this morning that the Regal Roller Stakes at Caulfield on August 16 would be the first-up assignment for the Barley A Moment gelding before he returns to Group 1 level in the Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on August 30.
“Pete (Moody) has been telling us the horse has come back in great order and could be in for a big spring,” Slade told TVN this morning.
“We will probably go to the Regal Roller first-up then two weeks to the Memsie, but Peter will make that call as he always does.”
Moment Of Change was unable to record a race win during his 2013 Spring Racing Carnival campaign, finishing in the placings in the Group 2 McEwen Stakes (1000m), Group 1 VRC Sprint Classic (1200m) and Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes (1200m), but returned to winning form when stepped up in trip during his autumn campaign.
The five-year-old scored his second win at Group 1 level when he held off a fast-finishing Eurozone to win the Group 1 Orr Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on February 8 and he maintained his exceptional record over the 1400 metre course at Caulfield to take out the Group 1 Futurity Stakes (1400m) on February 22.
Moment Of Change is expected to be set for more 1400 metre events at his home course, including the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) on September 28 and is also a chance of stepping up to a mile for races like the Group 1 Toorak Handicap (1600m) at Caulfield on October 11 and the Group 1 Emirates Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on November 8.
The rising six-year-old has had 22 race starts for seven wins and has accumulated just over $1.5 million in prizemoney for connections.
