Champion Perth galloper Mr Moet arrived in Melbourne this morning ahead of his 2013 Spring Racing Carnival kick-off in the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on September 7.
Mr Moet was competitive with the likes of Group 1 winners All Too Hard and Foreteller during the 2013 Melbourne Festival Of Racing: Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Mr Moet has not been seen at the races since the 2013 Melbourne Festival Of Racing but has impressed trainer Adam Durant with two barrier trial victories at his home track in Lark Hill.
The Mosayter gelding has an excellent first-up record, recording an upset victory in the Group 1 Railway Stakes (1600m) at Ascot at the start of his last preparation, and Durant told Racing Ahead that he believes the six-year-old will be very competitive against what is set to a strong field in the Makybe Diva Stakes.
“He has come back in really good order,” Durant said on RSN.
“The spell did him the world of good, he was coming off a solid Perth preparation in the autumn and he has really filled out and built up over the winter months.
“His trials have been better than they were in the lead-up to the Railway but he is going to need to be better than he was in the Railway and lift a couple of cogs if he is going to be a spring contender.
“He seems to be doing that and with no bad luck he should be very competitive.”
Mr Moet raced consistently during the 2013 Melbourne Festival Of Racing in the autumn without breaking through for his first race win outside Western Australia.
He flashed home late to finish third behind All Too Hard in the Group 1 C.F. Orr Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on February 9 before finishing an unlucky second behind Foreteller in the Group 2 Peter Young Stakes (1800m) at the same venue a fortnight later.
The tough gelding went into the Group 1 Australian Cup (2000m) as one of the favourites for the race but got too far back during the run and could finish no better than sixth.
Durant is yet to decide on a major 2013 Spring Racing Carnival target for Mr Moet but he has been included in the nominations for both the Caulfield Cup (2400m) and Cox Plate (2040m).
