Back-to-back Melbourne Trainers Premiership winner Peter Moody chose to accept his in-form mare Mid Summer Music in the feature race at Caulfield this Saturday, believing she will be a competitive force in the $125,000 Group 3 Bletchingly Stakes (1200m).
Peter Moody with Stable Jockey Luke Nolen - Nolen to ride Mid Summer Music in the Bletchingly Stakes on Saturday
The 2011 Bletchingly Stakes final field attracted 10 gallopers at acceptance stage on Wednesday, Mid Summer Music drawn awkwardly in barrier eight and due to be ridden by ace hoop Luke Nolen.
Despite the draw and tough field of rivals including the Gary Portelli’s internationally-tried star Gold Trail, Mark Young’s last-start John Monash Stakes winner Secret Flyer and Second Effort vying for their fifth straight win, Moody believes Mid Summer Music deserves their chance on Saturday.
“She can lead or she can sit back,” Moody said, unfazed over their Bletchingly Stakes barrier draw.
Lightly-raced for a rising six-year-old, Mid Summer Music has started just 12 times producing seven wins and three minor placings.
In her most recent prep she won back-to-backed races at Caulfield and Moonee Valley in May and June before running a devastatingly close second to Perturbo last-start on July 9 at Flemington in the $150,00 All Victorian Spring Final (1200m).
It was a disappointing result in such a lucrative race for Mid Summer Music and Moody as she was checked at the start of the Sprint Final and was disappointed for a run throughout.
The honest mare will get her chance to return to the winner’s stall this weekend in the Bletchingly, but must be at her best to do so as she is as yet untested at weight-for-age.
“She’s just kept on progressing,” Moody said.
“She’s adept on soft ground.
“Weight-for-age isn’t going to suit her, but if you take a line through Rue Maple’s last run it’s probably worth a shot at the stumps to get some black-type.
“I’d much rather it be a handicap, she’d be getting a lot of weight off them.”
One of Mid Summer Music’s Bletchingly Stakes rivals, the Darren Weir-trained four-year-old Rubiton mare Rue Maple comes off a handful of minor placings including their last-start second to Secret Flyer at the track in the Listed Sir John Monash Stakes (1100m).
Mid Summer Music was able to defeat Rue Maple at Moonee Valley on June 18 over 1200 metres, leading Moody to believe she can step up on Saturday and she is favourite to do so in the Bletchingly Stakes odds.
The Bletchingly will be Mid Summer Music’s second black-type assignment, her stakes debut producing a three-and-a-half lengths away eighth behind Peter Snowden’s subsequent Doomben 10,000 winner Beaded in the Group 3 Hyderabad Race Club Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield back in February.
“She’s a good honest mare but you have to remember she’s been racing over the winter and you have to wonder how far into the spring she can go,” Moody said in regards to where Mid Summer Music would head after Saturday.
