The Peter Moody-trained Moment Of Change is one of five horses travelling from the eastern states to contest the Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) in Perth this Saturday.
Moment Of Change is in a much better position to win the Winterbottom Stakes than last year when he finished second, according to trainer Peter Moody. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.
Moment Of Change also made the trek for last year’s race, in which the gelding finished just a nose off the winner Buffering in second place.
Moody is confident the six-year-old, who has gone on to win two Group One races since then, is in a much better condition to take out this year’s edition of the Winterbottom Stakes than he was 12 months ago.
Coming off a light spring campaign, where the gelding was last seen finishing fifth in the Group 1 Darley Classic (1200m) on November 8, Moment Of Change is on an “upwards spiral” heading into the sprint feature race of Super Saturday.
“He’s probably more on an upwards spiral this year than he was last year, because he hasn’t had as much racing,” Moody told Perth Racing.
“He had a little injury in the middle of the spring where we had to back off him.
“He has travelled over well, and he’s been here before so it’s nothing new to him. He did a nice little piece of work on the course proper this morning (Tuesday).”
After finishing second in last year’s Winterbottom Stakes, Moment Of Change won both the Group 1 C.F. Orr Stakes (1400m) and Group 1 Futurity Stakes (1400m) during the autumn.
His most impressive run in the spring was undoubtedly the Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) in which he finished less than one length off the winner Lankan Rupee despite sitting four wide in the running. He got mobile early in the race to make a move before lopping the field and just dying on the run.
Moment Of Change will get a much better start in this year’s Winterbottom Stakes after drawing barrier four, compared to nine last year.
The gelding will likely remain in Perth for the Summer Racing Carnival, with a tilt in the Group 3 Scahill Stakes (1400m) on December 6 on the cards.
“Some of the connections live in Perth, and the fact he has had a light spring we might look at that,” the trainer said.
The race will work as nice lead-in for the gelding to defend his title in both the C.F. Orr and Futurity Stakes in February.
Moment Of Change is on the second line of betting for the Winterbottom Stakes at Ladbrokes.com.au, offering punters $4.40 behind Angelic Light at $3.
