Trainer Peter Moody is not expecting Moment Of Change to win the Listed Regal Roller Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on Saturday, but is thrilled with the condition of the triple Group 1 winner ahead of his 2014 Spring Racing Carnival campaign.
Moment Of Change will carry the monster weight of 62 kilograms in the Regal Roller Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Moment Of Change will be forced to carry 62 kilograms under the handicap conditions of the Regal Roller Stakes and the leading Victorian trainer admits that is a difficult assignment for even the toughest of horses.
While Moody is not optimistic about the chance of Moment Of Change first-up in the Regal Roller Stakes, he still believes that he is in store for a big spring after he impressed in two jump outs at Caulfield before working strongly on the course proper at trackwork this morning.
“He’s going super and he looks tremendous,” Moody told Racing Victoria.
“He’s had a couple of trials here at Caulfield and gone well.
“He worked out wide on the course proper this morning, he’s not appreciative of the slow to heavy ground, but he still worked good.”
Moment Of Change will have the opportunity to record a fourth Group 1 victory over his favourite 1400m course at Caulfield when he contests the Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) on August 30 and Moody believes that the Barely A Moment gelding will be very tough to beat in the $400,000 event, if he is able to go close to winning the Regal Roller Stakes this weekend.
“He’s got a good horse’s weight and this one will just blow the cobwebs off for the Memsie,” Moody said.
“The way I’m approaching it is, if they don’t beat him Saturday they’re going to have trouble in the Memsie.
“He’s ultra-competitive in any conditions, but he’s open to improvement and the Memsie is what we’re looking to.”
Moment Of Change performed well without winning during the 2013 Spring Racing Carnival, finishing in the placings in both the Group 1 VRC Sprint Classic (1200m) and Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes (1200m), but was unable to return to winning form during a successful autumn campaign.
The six-year-old resumed with an unlucky second in the Group 2 Australia Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on January 24 before he held-off a fast-finishing Eurozone to win the Group 1 Orr Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on February 8 and take out the Group 1 Futurity Stakes (1400m) at the same venue a fortnight later.
Moody is chasing his second win in the Memsie Stakes after he won the 2011 edition of the race with talented mare King’s Rose.
