Erika Allen
Tom Hayes
MOE Racing Club hosted a marathon day at its meeting on Friday, July 12, which witnessed local success throughout the day.
Sale and district trainers were well represented, and performed admirably.
Beginning as early as 10.45am, horses were hitting the track which was rated a Heavy 10 throughout the meet.
THE first local win of the day came from the Race 4 Able Mechanical Maiden Plate, ran over 1600m, which featured five locally trained horses.
In what was potentially the surprise package of the day, Limerick Lady for Kelvin Southey – who has stables based in Mornington, Seymour and Sale – miraculously won while paying $51.
The four-year-old mare began the race from the front of the field and was largely expected to drop off the pace as it came to an end.
But nonetheless, she led past the 400m mark and onto the straight, with three horses all storming home for the win: Norma’s Fleet for Sale’s Kerry Farrugia, Miss Tramell for Alex Rae (who owns a stable in Sale), and Dougal Mckeen.
As the finish line fast approached, it appeared more and more likely that Limerick Lady would hold onto her first race win from four races, doing so by just under three lengths.
Norma’s Fleet came home in second, with Miss Tramell a neck shy in third to close out a 1-2-3 for Sale.
After never placing in her career, Limerick Lady was finally on the board, doing so on the heaviest of tracks.
Also in the field were two Ben O’Farrell (who has stables in Geelong, Innisfail, Mannerin and Sale) horses, with Spring Bean claiming ninth, and Raise The Note coming 11th.
JUST two races later there was more success from a local standpoint, with Zilzie Lad for Moe’s Peter Gelagotis, who claimed another winner in the Race 6 Ezy Clean Carwash Handicap (2050m).
Gelagotis had two winners in Sale just the week prior, and only added to it once again through Zilzie Lad.
Named as the favourite by quite some margin, it was always going to be hard to write off the four-year-old gelding, despite the competition that presented itself.
It was a two-horse battle between Zilzie Lad and Master Right throughout the race, with Zilzie Lad holding an early lead, before being challenged as they began to turn onto the straight by Master Right.
As they met on the straight, Zlizie Lad fought back hard to regain the lead, but it wasn’t without little challenge from Master Right.
But Master Right couldn’t overcome Zilzie Lad who stormed home on the inside to win by just over a length, claiming the second win of his 14-race career. His first win came back in Werribee, almost a year ago, on a Heavy 8-rated track.
Locally, Tolerance for Rae came seventh, while Ideelistic for Mark and Levi Kavanagh (who own stables in Moe) – who was heavily backed – came 10th after a disastrous run in.
IT took until the final race of the day to find the final local winner, when Grey Ghost for Sale’s Shawn Mathrick held off the field to win the Race 10 Ladbrokes Moe Cup Friday 18th October Handicap (1200m).
Leading for the entire race, Grey Ghost looked comfortable on the heavy track, but soon found himself with some competition to deal with.
As he turned onto the straight, he was challenged from behind, yet didn’t allow anyone to pass as he claimed the win by a quarter-length.
Incoming thick and fast was Robert The Puss, who gained position after position in the final 100m, nearly pinching the lead, settling for second.
It was just the second career win for Grey Ghost, with his last win coming in August last year.
Acey Deucy for Moe’s Charlie Gafa wasn’t able to make an impression up the front, settling for 11th.
AN admirable local performance was seen in the Race 5 Ladbrokes Racing Club Maiden Plate (2050m), which had six locally trained horses in the 13 horse-strong field.
Artspace was a strong contender from the start, but faded at the race entered the pointy stages, leading the field around to the final turn and onto the straight.
Then in came through the hard of horses to put their hat into the ring. Two of which were of local variety.
High Society Girl was the chosen one on the day to cross the line first, but swiftly followed by Princess De Turn for Sale’s Adam Hanley, just shy of a length behind in second.
Coming from further back was What A Journey for Sale’s Paul Worthington, who climbed from as far back as ninth to claim the final placing position.
Los Alamos for Gelagotis looked to be in a good position before they bundled towards the rear of the field, finishing 12th.
Rough Edges for Sale’s Cliff Murray sat at the rear for most of the race, claiming a few positions at the conclusion of the race to finish ninth.
Finishing the field off was Murray’s Lonestar Charlie in 11th and Gafa’s Northern Heartland in 13th.
ANOTHER six local runner made up the field in the Race 8 S&S Equipment Hire & Sales Handicap (1600m).
With the sheer amount of horses in the field, one was bound to finish in the higher places, and that it did.
Rabbit Stu was the eventual winner, leading for the entire race, coming home two lengths clear for Tactfull in second.
Bishop Rock for Sale’s Susie Wells ran in the midfield throughout the mile, but began to shift forward as the race entered the latter stages.
Bishop Rock, paying $26 to win, came home in third despite the near six-length distance to the front two.
Close behind was Rosabeel for Sale’s Angela Bence, who was also paying a generous $21 to win, finishing fifth.
Rounding up the rear of the field was Villeneuve for Southey in seventh, Treasure ‘N’ Blood for Moe’s Logan McGill in 10th, Gafa’s Shesablinder in 11th, and Temleh for Moe’s Lenny Xuereb finished 15 lengths shy of the lead in 13th.
THE final piece of success was put together in the Race 9 Ladbrokes Bet Ticker Handicap (1200m), which saw The Great Bratski for Moe’s Christine Sexton come within a length of winning.
The Great Bratski was the $2.80 favourite for the race before the jump, and was well-poised to take victory again, if it wasn’t for Adrett for John Leek Jr of Cranbourne.
Holding the inside lane, The Great Bratski couldn’t muster enough pace to keep ahead of Adrett, and as the line came closer, she had to settle for second.
The veteran eight-year-old mare sustained her 31st career placing (eight wins) from 78 starts.
Want To Doo for McGill closed out in eighth during this race, just under six lengths behind the race winner.
WITH the remaining four races, three of which had some local horses in the mix, beginning with the Race 2 CME Installation Maiden Plate (1000m).
Won comfortably by the favourite, Miss Cotoletta, the closest local to the lead was Adja for Moe’s Cameron Templeton.
Adja led the field for majority of the race, before succumbing to those behind, letting three horses past before falling to fourth when crossing the line.
Sommerregen for Moe’s Allison Bennett claimed sixth, and Miss Neyland for Sale’s Troy Kilgower fell to 10th.
Seemingly, a few horses refused to get into the barrier, this being the case for Worthington’s Magic Aura, who was set to debut, but instead was a late scratching.
IN what was a closely contested top end, the Race 3 Cloud Chat Maiden Plate came down to the wire between two horses.
Four horses were favoured under $5 odds to win before the jump, with all four of them filling the top four positions.
The eventual winner was Captain Electric, winning by just over a length in what turned out to be a two-horse race between him and Al Duca.
A Tom Bowler for Moe’s Ian Jones could only manage to get as high as 10th place, after spending most of the race from the very back in 11th.
THE Race 7 Hall’s Plumbing Handicap (1000m) was taken out by Per Ivy for Caulfield’s Colin Scott in an absolute nail-biter.
As they came toward the finish line, three suitors were in line to claim the win, with all three of them finishing within a head of each other.
Darceandermill was the unluckiest of the two placing horses, who was 0.02 lengths from the win, while starting as the $3 favourite. Royal Lane took third, a head behind the winner.
I’m Cheeky for Sale’s Bill Wood claimed eighth, still under five lengths back from the winner, in what was a hotly contested race.
THERE was no local talent to start the day off in the Race 1 Ladbroke It! Maiden Plate (1000m).
In a close battle at the top, four horses finished within a length and a half of one another.
The eventual winner was New York Diva, a close second-favourite, stealing the glory from the favourite, Snick.
La Fille Rouge led for majority of the sprint, but only just held onto third place by a whisker.
