Horse Racing

Luxbet bolter Rothera may have earned a Melbourne reprieve after winning Saturday’s 2011 Eclipse Stakes (1800m) on the Sandown Hillside.

Trainer Peter Moody had all but given up on the former Queenslander believing he wasn’t measuring up to Melbourne racing.

The 2011 Eclipse Stakes was going to be horses’s final chance.

“I booked him on a truck back to Queensland on Monday, so I will have to speak to the owner and reconsider,” Moody said.

“I didn’t think he was doing enough.”

Rothera joined Moody earlier in the year after original trainer Ben Currie decided to complete his studies rather than travel for the Melbourne Racing Spring Carnival.

The six-year-old failed under Moody on three occasions up to 1400m yet its connections and jockey Luke Nolen kept faith that Rothera would improve given more ground in the 2011 Eclipse Stakes.

And so it proved.

Nolen, despite being caught three wide without cover, was fortunate the leader Platinum Passion was slowly rated in front by Lisa Cropp.

“We always travelled well, even though we covered a little ground,” Nolen said.

“In the straight, I was going to count to 10 more but one got to his girth.”

Rothera pinched a break at the 300 metres and notch his first win beyond 1600m in the 2011 Eclipse Stakes.

“It was the best he presented today,” Moody said.

“Out to this trip, we might have opened a few more doors.”

Folding Gear and Ulundi both worked home well from midfield but never threatened the winner.

The $4.80 Luxbet favourite Erewhon was a beaten horse at the home turn.

The 2011 Eclipse Stakes  Luxbet trifecta paid $3798.20 and first four with Lord Pyrus (4th) $15800.70.

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