Trainer Gary Moore believes that Takedown is capable of delivering him a maiden win at the highest level of racing in the 2015 Champagne Stakes at Royal Randwick this afternoon.
Takedown has the chance to record a maiden win at Group 1 level in the 2015 Champagne Stakes at Royal Randwick this afternoon. Photo by: Steve Hart
Takedown deliver Moore his first win at Group level since he returned to train in Australia last year when he took out the Group 3 Black Opal Stakes (1200m) at Canberra on March 8 and he stamped himself as a genuine Champagne Stakes contender when he led from start to finish to win the Group 3 The Schweppervescence Quality (1400m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 28.
Moore revealed earlier in the week that Takedown was thriving ahead of his maiden start at Group 1 level and he told Sky Racing HQ that the Stratum gelding had been most impressive in his final piece of work before the 2015 Champagne Stakes.
“We are in with a very good chance,” Moore said.
“The horse is well, he ate up overnight, his temperature is good and he looked good on the track this morning.
“He is a very relaxed horse, nothing worries him and he just goes out and does his job in the morning.
“He is a pleasure to train and I am very lucky to have him in my first eight months back in Australia.
“It has been a great point for our yard and if we can win a Group 1 in our first eight months it will just show everybody that we are running a really good operation.”
Takedown has already had four race starts since he made his racing debut with a third place finish behind Exosphere in a maiden at Kembla Grange on February 14, but Moore said that he is keen to race the two-year-old on this preparation if he wins the Champagne Stakes.
Moore said Takedown would head to Queensland for the Group 2 BRC Sires Produce Stakes (1350m) at Doomben on May 23 and the Group 1 JJ Atkins (1600m) at the same venue on June 6 and he believes that his star galloper could overtake Vancouver and Pride Of Dubai as two-year-old of the year if he is able to win all three races.
“If he wins today the plan today will be to try and put him as a the number one two-year-old in Australia past Vancouver and he goes to the Sires in Brisbane and if he wins that he has run five straight,” Moore said.
Takedown is currently available at 2015 Champagne Stakes odds of $6 with Ladbrokes, while Pasadena Girl ($2.60) is now a clear favourite from Odyssey Moon ($4.60).
