Pin & Win Stakes Rather Than Danehill Stakes For Odyssey Moon

Trainer Rodney Northam has confirmed that Odyssey Moon will contest the 2015 Pin & Win Stakes rather than the Group 2 Danehill Stakes (1400m) this weekend.

Odyssey Moon has the chance to return to winning form in the 2015 Pin & Win Stakes at Flemington this weekend. Photo by: Steve Hart

Odyssey Moon has the chance to return to winning form in the 2015 Pin & Win Stakes at Flemington this weekend. Photo by: Steve Hart

Odyssey Moon started his 2015 Spring Racing Carnival campaign in the Listed McKenzie Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on August 22 and he did not have a great deal of luck in running, but he was still able to hit the line strongly to finish third behind Well Sprung and Danuki.

The Snitzel colt was included in the nominations for both the Danehill Stakes as well as the Pin & Win Stakes, but Northam believes that the three-year-old is looking for the step-up to 1400 metres this weekend.

“I think that we will go to the Pin And Win over 1400,” Northam told Racing Ahead.

“I think he is looking for the 1400.

“His work has been really good, he has come through that run nicely, but I just want to take the softer option to try and get him winning a race.

“I was really happy with the first-up run because it was a pretty tough ask and once he straightened up and balanced up he ran through the line really nicely.

“We will see a better horse at Flemington where he has more time to balance up and hit the line.”

The Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) has always been the major 2015 Spring Racing Carnival goal for Odyssey Moon and Northam confirmed that the colt will still head to the Group 1 event.

Odyssey Moon will head to the Group 3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude (1400m) after he runs in the Pin & Win Stakes and Northam is confident that the Sires Produce Stakes placegetter will be at peak fitness for the Group 1 event.

“We will run on Saturday in the 1400, go the Guineas Prelude and straight to the Guineas,” Northam said

“He will have the two runs over the 1400 before getting to the Guineas and that way we will know that he is going to be rock solid fit for the mile, which is going to be his grand final.

“The aim of the preparation is all towards the Caulfield Guineas.”

Odyssey Moon is currently available at 2015 Caulfield Guineas odds of $51 with Ladbrokes, while Press Statement ($4.80) is now favourite from Ready For Victory ($5.50), Exosphere ($10), Bassett ($15), Gold Symphony ($15), Japonisme ($15), Rageese ($15) and Sovereign Nation ($15).

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Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.