Peter Moody will give Moment Of Change one more chance to win this prep before turning them out after the 2013 The Goodwood where the Group 1 winning four-year-old will have to be at their best to handle the set weights plus penalties conditions.
Odds-on The Goodwood favourite Moment Of Change carries the top weight on Saturday. Photo: Steve Hart.
The Barley A Moment gelding enjoyed their breakthrough Group 1 victory last September with a good effort with a light weight in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield.
Returning at Flemington in February the horse put in a massive effort to run a brave second to then stablemate Black Caviar in the Group 1 Lightning Stakes (1000m) before finishing just a nose away second to Shamexpress in the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) in March.
Those two runs took it out of Moment Of Change however and they failed to beat home any of their nine rivals when dead last, beaten nine lengths in the Group 1 Canterbury Stakes (1300m) by Pierro last start – a result that ruined Moody’s perception of them as one of the country’s top sprinters.
“I think he was flat after the Newmarket and the Lightning, they were a bit taxing,” Moody said.
“But I probably kidded myself as well.”
They get a chance to atone and return to their Group 1 winning form this weekend in Adelaide’s $500,000 Group 1 The Goodwood (1200m) at Morphettville Racecourse.
Moment Of Change is odds-on favourite in the early The Goodwood odds after drawing to perfection with barrier six.
The gate may be right but Moody is a little worried about their 58.5kg topweight which sees them give a full six kilos to triple Group 1 winner and second fancy Yosei who will relish the 52.5kg after carrying plenty more weight to run third to Platelet in the Robert Sangster Stakes at the track last start.
“He’s not that well treated at the weights compared to some of the others, but he’s a nice big strong horse,” Moody said.
“Giving six kilos to Yosei is a bit of a concern, but he races on or about the speed and makes his own luck.”
The other top hopes in The Goodwood 2013 field this year are Queensland raider Facile Tigre last seen running second in the Oakleigh Plate back in February, six-year-old Amaethon and Robert Sangster winner Platelet.
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