Cup Carnival Calls 2019 Moonga Stakes Winner Streets Of Avalon

October 19, 2019

Cup Carnival Calls 2019 Moonga Stakes Winner Streets Of Avalon

Shane Nichols will race on with his gutsy Ladbrokes Moonga Stakes 2019 winner Streets Of Avalon who will be kept in Group 3 company over the Melbourne Cup Carnival after his nice Caulfield victory.

Streets Of Avalon. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

Streets Of Avalon was back in winning form at Caulfield in the 2019 Ladbrokes Moonga Stakes. Photo; Ultimate Racing Photos.

The honest Magnus five-year-old relished the drop in class and distance off a tough Group 1 run in the Toorak Handicap (1600m) last time out to salute in the Group 3 $200,000 Ladbrokes Moonga Stakes (1400m) on Caulfield Cup Day.

Prepared out of Mornington, the gelding ran 11th to Fierce Impact in the Toorak having to do plenty of work in the mile feature on the back of an eye-catching fourth behind Begood Toya Mother at huge odds in the Group 1 Ladbrokes Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m).

This time Nichols opted to give his galloper an easier assignment and Streets Of Avalon rewarded him getting back to winning form for the first time since his Group 3 Ladbrokes Victoria Handicap (1400m) win at the same track and distance back in the autumn.

“For a horse like him, he bounces, gets up on the speed and finds the line, he’s very tough,” Nichols said.

“I thought he went up a level again to win a Group 3 like this. Around this level he’s damn competitive.

“The mile was just a touch too far.”

Streets Of Avalon ($5) went up from 56kg in the Toorak to 58.5kg in the Moonga Stakes, but thanks to a strong ride by Ben Melham had no worries under the weight running home to defeat Variation ($14) by a length.

In third rounding out the trifecta after a barnstorming late run was the previously undefeated and very lightly-raced raider Royal Meeting, Saeed Bin Suroor’s 60kg topweight running third as the beaten $3.60 favourite.

“Today they all looked at each other…but we got the lovely run,” Nichols added.

“He was exposed early, but he hit the line like a demon.”

Melham and Streets Of Avalon were forced to cover a bit of ground during an on-pace run in the Moonga, but the horse was always in a good rhythm and after controlling things on the outside scored a dominant win.

“He’s run in all the Group 1s and neve runs a bad race,” winning hoop Melham said after describing Streets Of Avalon as “underrated”.

“He tries his bloody guts out going to the line.

“He could have given up, but he didn’t, he went again so it’s a good asset.”

Nichols said they were not tempted to try Streets Of Avalon in top-level company again this season ruling out a shot at the Group 1 $2 million Kennedy Cantala (1600m) at Flemington on Derby Day.

Instead he named the Group 3 $200,000 Chatham Stakes (1400m) on the final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival, November 9, as the next-up target.

Also on the cards could be a quick back-up at Sandown’s Ladbrokes Park Hillside on November 16 in the Group 3 $160,000 Sandown Stakes (1500m).

“There’s also the races in Dubai next year…we have got that in the back of our mind as well,” Nichols said hinting at a possible 2020 international campaign for Streets Of Avalon.

2019 Ladbrokes Moonga Stakes Results & Finishing Order

Place # Horse Trainer Jockey Margin Barrier Weight SP
1 4 STREETS OF AVALON Shane Nichols Ben Melham 9 58.5kg $5
2 8 VARIATION Stephen Miller Damien Oliver 1L 6 57kg $14
3 2 ROYAL MEETING (IRE) Saeed Bin Suroor Patrick Cosgrave 1.2L 8 60kg $3.60F
4 7 MANOLO BLAHNIQ (NZ) Tony Noonan Jake Noonan 2.45L 1 58kg $12
5 1 LAND OF PLENTY Peter & Paul Snowden Damian Lane 2.65L 2 60kg $5
6 3 MOSS ’N’ DALE (NZ) Peter Gelagotis Jack Martin (a) 2.75L 7 58.5kg $51
7 6 TOM MELBOURNE (IRE) Chris Waller Michael Walker 3.75L 3 58kg $15
8 5 TERBIUM Phillip Stokes Luke Nolen 7.25L 4 58.5kg $31
9 9 DESERT LORD Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes Dwayne Dunn 8.25L 5 57kg $4.60

Racing fields and data are copyright 2011-2021 © Racing Australia Pty Ltd (RA) (and other parties working with it).
Racing materials, including fields, form and results, is subject to copyright which is owned by RA and other parties working with it. Full copyright notice.

Spring Racing

Military Mission Fires in 2023...

Zipping Classic 2023 Field �...

Zipping Classic 2023 Field & Odds Update: Vow And Declare Defends Title

Danny O’Brien’s 2019 Melbourne Cup winner Vow And Declare continues to show a...

Overpass Heads 2023 Winterbott...

Overpass Heads 2023 Winterbottom Stakes Field & Betting Markets

Bjron Baker’s The Everest performer Overpass is tipped to return to winning...

Osipenko Leads The Gong 2023 R...

Osipenko Leads The Gong 2023 Race Field & Betting

The Chris Waller-trained Pierro four-year-old Osipenko is firm favourite in...

2023 Railway Stakes Field ...

2023 Railway Stakes Field & Betting Update: Tuvalu Narrow Favourite

The Lindsey Smith-trained top-weight Tuvalu is narrow favourite in the latest...

Horse Racing Today

2024 The Galaxy Results: Zapat...

Golden Slipper Results 2024: L...

Golden Slipper Results 2024: Lady Of Camelot Beats Coleman, Storm Boy Third

Co-trainer Gai Waterhouse extended her record to eight victories in the 2024...

2024 George Ryder Stakes Winne...

2024 George Ryder Stakes Winner Veight Beats Older Rivals

Veight joined an elite list of three-year-olds to beat home the older horses...

Rosehill Guineas 2024 Results:...

Rosehill Guineas 2024 Results: Riff Rocket Flies Home Late Ahead of ATC Derby

Chris Waller’s VRC Derby winner from the spring, Riff Rocket, now has the...

2024 Ranvet Stakes Results: Vi...

2024 Ranvet Stakes Results: Via Sistina Too Good Debuting for Waller

Yu Long Investments lucrative European purchase, the now Chris Waller-trained...

Race Results

2024 The Galaxy Results: Zapateo Upsets Sunshine In Paris

Golden Slipper Results 2024: Lady Of Camelot Beats Coleman, Storm Boy Third

Imperatriz Defends Title in 2024 William Reid Stakes

2024 George Ryder Stakes Winner Veight Beats Older Rivals

Rosehill Guineas 2024 Results: Riff Rocket Flies Home Late Ahead of ATC Derby

Race Previews

UK Raider Post Impressionist Heads Tancred Stakes Field & Odds

2024 Australian Cup Field & Betting Update: Pride Of Jenni v Mr Brightside

Golden Slipper 2024 Tips & Betting Update

The Galaxy 2024 Race Field & Odds: Ozzmosis Leads Betting on Slipper Day Sprint

2024 Rosehill Guineas Field & Betting Update: Riff Rocket Set to Take Off

Fields & Form

UK Raider Post Impressionist Heads Tancred Stakes Field & Odds

2024 Australian Cup Field & Betting Update: Pride Of Jenni v Mr Brightside

Golden Slipper 2024 Tips & Betting Update

The Galaxy 2024 Race Field & Odds: Ozzmosis Leads Betting on Slipper Day Sprint

2024 Rosehill Guineas Field & Betting Update: Riff Rocket Set to Take Off