Luke Nolen is aiming to cause an upset in the Group 1 $1m VRC Sprint Classic (1200m) at Flemington on Saturday with Moment Of Change ready to peak for the Spring.
Moment Of Change hasn't won a race since winning the G1 Rupert Clarke Stakes at Caulfield. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.
The Peter Moody trained five year old hasn’t won a race since claiming the Group 1 $400,000 Clamms Seafood Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield during the 2012 Spring Carnival but has been Group 1 placed on two occasions at Flemington in the Autumn.
Moment Of Change ran second to Black Caviar in the $500,000 Black Caviar Lightning (1000m) on February 16 and then backed up for another second in Shamexpress in the $1m Lexus Newmarket Handicap (1200m) on March 9.
Moment Of Change has had three runs this time in, the last two at Group 1 level, resulting in a fourth to Samaready in the $450,000 Programmed Moir Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on September 27 and a fourth to Buffering in the $1m Sportingbet Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on October 25.
Nolen says that Moment Of Change is ready to peak at his fourth run back after not having a lot of luck so far this Spring.
“I thought the Manikato was his best run this time in,” Nolen said.
“He’s had three runs at Moonee Valley this prep and he wasn’t comfortable in his first run, second-up they had a good shower of rain before the race and it got a bit skatey and he doesn’t go,”
“He stepped away a bit average last time and it was a forgive run as well.”
Nolen won the VRC Sprint Classic when it was known as the Patinack Farm Classic on Black Caviar two years ago but wasn’t on the mighty mare when she won in 2010 with Ben Melham aboard steering her to the first of her fifteen Group 1 wins.
The first four across the line in the Manikato Stakes, Buffering, Lucky Nine, Sessions and Moment Of Change, are all lining up in the VRC Sprint Classic and it is certain to be a blanket finish again.
Lucky Nine has been posted the $3.80 favourite with Buffering at $7.50 and Platelet the next in the betting at $8, Moment Of Change is marked at $10 while Sessions, one of three runners for trainer Peter Snowden, is at the good odds of $17.
