Weight the key to Thiamandi’s chances in Regal Roller Stakes

A huge weight advantage will be the key to smart mare Thiamandi’s chances of extending her winning run in the Listed $120,000 Winslow Group Regal Roller Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on Saturday.

Thiamandi will go into the Regal Roller Stakes at Caulfield with a huge weight advantage.

Thiamandi will go into the Regal Roller Stakes at Caulfield with a huge weight advantage. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.

The Adelaide speedster has won at her last three starts and will go into Saturday’s handicap on the 54kgs minimum, 8kgs below what triple Group 1 winner Moment Of Change has been allocated.

Morphettville trainer Lloyd Kennewell had to convince owner Luke Koumi to run in the 1200m Listed race as he was keen to take on the weight for age horses in the Group 2 $200,000 Back To Caulfield P.B. Lawrence Stakes (1400m) on the same program.

But the 8kgs advantage over the Peter Moody trained Moment Of Change was too good to ignore and gives the in-form mare an excellent chance to stretch her winning sequence to four which started with a win in restricted grade over 1000m at Morphettville on June 28.

Kennewell then took the Street Boss mare to Melbourne when she cruised to an easy win against the fillies over 1100m at Caulfield and then won just as easily at Caulfield again in the Group 3 WFA $150,000 Slickpix Bletchingly Stakes (1200m) on July 26.

“I had some interesting discussions with him (Luke Koumi) right up to just before acceptance time and I got my way,” Kennewell told the Sportsman.

“I wanted to run her in the 1200m race because I think she can win that.’

“The weight for age factor was the one query, even though she had won a weight for age race the other day but she is just so well weighted with 54kgs.”

“Moment Of Change has to give the rest of the field 8kgs and it is hard to beat tough mares who are in form.”

Kennewell believes that Thiamandi’s new found winning form is due to her learning how to use her energy correctly as she matured.

“She’s always had speed to burn and as she got older she’s been more willing to settle,” Kennewell said.

“She’s always had the ability and plenty of speed, but she is using her energy at the right part of the race now.”

Moody is using the Regal Roller Stakes as a tester for Moment Of Change as he heads towards another Group 1 assignment in the weight for age $400,000 Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on August 30.

Moment Of Change is having his first run since finishing twelfth to Lankan Rupee in the Group 1 $1m Lexus Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on March 8 and Moody is expecting him to take great benefit from the outing.

“He’s got a good horse’s weight and this one will just blow the cobwebs off for the Memsie,” Moody told Racing Victoria.

“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.”

Thiamandi at $3.40 holds a slight advantage over Moment Of Change at $3.80 in the market order for the Regal Roller Stakes at Ladbrokes.com.au.

The ever consistent Hard Stride is also well up in the betting at $4.50 while Moment Of Change’s stablemate Club Command is also in contention at $5.50.

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.