News

Moody Reveals An Embarrassment Of Spring Riches

11th Aug 2009

ANZ Bloodstock News - Alice Lukey-Smith - Tuesday, 12 August 2009

Caulfield trainer Peter Moody is in an enviable position. Discussing his spring prospects on Sport 927 it was hard to imagine that he was not wearing a broad grin, such is the embarrassment of riches he appears to enjoy. Among the prospects Moody put through their paces at Caulfield yesterday are the likes of Group 1 winners Typhoon Tracy and Reward For Effort as well as highly-promising three-year-olds Black Caviar and Tickets. Little wonder Moody was in effusive mood yesterday, writes Darryl Sherer

Moody has decided to run the unbeaten mare Typhoon Tracy in this Saturday’s $200,000 J J Liston Stakes at Caulfield. The royally-bred daughter of Red Ransom (USA) was also nominated for the Quezette Stakes against her own sex over 1200m but Moody has elected to run at weight-forage instead. “I think she’s better suited at the 1400 metres first-up, instead of the hustle and bustle of the 1200 of the Quezette,” Moody explained, confirming that the four-year-old would be ridden on Saturday by Luke Nolen. “She worked strongly on the course proper this morning, pulled up well, and she’ll go towards the Liston on Saturday in preference to the Quezette.”

Moody also confirmed that **Reward For Effort (Exceed And Excel)** and Headway (Charge Forward) – two of last season’s leading juveniles - would both be running at Caulfield this week. “They worked together this morning and they’ll take their place in the respective three-year-old races on Saturday,” Moody explained.

The subject of a recent multi-million dollar offer from Blue Sky Thoroughbreds, Reward For Effort has improved mentally according to Moody. “He’s always been an imposing sort physically. He hasn’t grown at all during his spell but he’s grown up mentally. To my eye I thought he was the benchmark colt of last year, he won the Blue Diamond and then loomed up in the Slipper but couldn’t go on with it on the wet track.”

Reward For Effort’s stablemate Headway finished a game second behind Phelan Ready (More Than Ready) in the Slipper and Moody is delighted with her progress. “She was the best filly home in the Slipper by a fair margin, and I think she has a lot of upside in her and I am very pleased with the way she has come up,” he said, adding, “People are talking up Black Caviar but she’s won a winter Listed race and Headway’s run second in a Slipper so she’s got the score on the board.”

Moody’s unbeaten filly, Black Caviar (Bel Esprit), will not run this week, and instead will be saved for a $100,000 Listed race for three-year-old fillies at Moonee Valley, over 1200 metres, the following week. “She worked well this morning but had a good blow afterwards, so she needs another week. It will also give us a chance to give her a look at the track and see how she gets around it (Moonee Valley), it will be good experience for later on.” he said.

Former Sydney colts Tickets (Redoute’s Choice) and Wanted (Fastnet Rock) worked together over 800m. “We’ve been looking to get Tickets to settle as he used to rip and tear in Sydney but he dropped out this morning with his head on his chest and then worked home nicely – I couldn’t be happier.” In contrast, Moody revealed he has to adopt a different approach with Wanted. “He’s a big, gross sort of colt. To be honest with you, he’s lazy and he’ll need a bit more work.” Tickets is most likely to reappear in the HDF McNeil Stakes (Gr 3) over 1200m at Caulfield on August 29th, with Wanted coming out at Flemington a week later in the Danehill Stakes (Gr 2) over 1200m.

Whatever the trials and tribulations of a racehorse trainer, it would be a brave man that would bet against Moody enjoying a lucrative spring with the stable full of talent he has at his disposal.