Moody looking for back to back Goodwoods

Premier Victorian trainer Peter Moody is set to win back to back Group 1 Goodwoods at Morphettville on Saturday when he saddles up race favourite Moment Of Change.

moment of change

Moment Of Chang will start favourite in the Goodwood at Morphettville. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.

Moody, who is a regular visitor across the border, won Adelaide’s feature sprint, the Group 1 $500,000 The Distinctive Homes Goodwood (1200m) last year with his super mare Black Caviar.

Moment Of Change returned to Moody’s Caulfield stables after a disappointing tenth to Pierro in the Group 1 $350,000 Cellarbrations Canterbury Stakes (1300m) at Rosehill on March 23 following two seconds at Flemington during the Autumn Carnival.

The Barely A Moment four year old scored at Group 1 level when he took put the $400,000 Clamms Seafood Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield in the Spring and ran up that form when two and half lengths second to stablemate Black Caviar in the Group 1 $500,000 Black Caviar Lightning (1000m) at Flemington on February 16.

Moment Of Change was then sent out favourite in the for the Group 1 $1m Lexus Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington three weeks later but was grabbed on the line by Shamexpress.

Rob Slade, managing owner, said that Moment Of Change had recovered from his trip to Sydney and would travel over to Adelaide after working on Thursday morning.

“He went to Sydney but he just raced flat, as if the Newmarket run had really knocked him around,” Slade said.

“Peter brought him home and ‘freshened’ him on the water-walker and he seems back to his old self again.”

“He’ll do his last fast piece of work tomorrow morning then have a bit of a spin around on Thursday morning, before jumping on the float Thursday night for the trip across to Adelaide.”

With the Goodwood field starting to fall away with African Pulse, Lady Melksham and Second Effort already being announced non-runners, Darren Weir’s Platelet looks the main obstacle for the Victorian.

Platelet with Ben Melham in the saddle, finished too strongly for Angelic Light to take out the Group 1 $400,000 Sportingbet Classic (1200m) at Morphettville on April 27 with Weir saying he will back her up in Goodwood.

Even though Melbourne trainer Stuart Webb thinks the 1200m of the Goodwood might be too short for his Group 1 winning mare Yosei, he said with only 52.5kg she is very well weighted under the set weights and penalties conditions.

“You get 3kg penalty for a Group 1 win, but her Group 1’s fall outside the prescribed dates, so she gets in on the minimum, which is fantastic for a small mare like her,” Webb said.

With one run back from a spell when third to Platelet in the Sportingbet Classic, Webb says that Yosei is probably looking for 1400m now.

“If this race was 1400-metres you would be declaring her, but at 1200-metres she is always a risk,” Webb said.

“But, I’ve kept the speed in her legs knowing she has to go to Brisbane after this and run in two, possibly three 1400-metre races.”

The early market has Moment Of Change at $2.40 with Platelet the next in the betting at $7 ahead of Angelic Light and Facile Tigre at $11.

While Yosei has been listed a $17 chance alongside General Truce.

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.