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Lunar Flare gets Zipping Classic call up

3 minute read

Lunar Flare will attempt to overturn a disappointing Flemington run in the Zipping Classic at Caulfield.

LUNAR FLARE.
LUNAR FLARE. Picture: Racing Photos.

Trainer Grahame Begg was left scratching his head after Lunar Flare failed to fill a place at her last start at Flemington. 

Lunar Flare will get the opportunity to correct that disappointing display when she runs in the Group 2 Zipping Classic (2400m) at Caulfield on Saturday. 

After an imposing victory in the Group 2 Moonee Valley Gold Cup (2500m) last month, Lunar Flare was expected to again run well in the Group 3 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m)  at Flemington on the final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival. 

The Zipping Classic has been transferred from its traditional slot a week after the Melbourne Cup Carnival to now run two weeks later. 

That transfer enabled Begg to send Lunar Flare to the beach and freshen up before she returned to his Caulfield stable to prepare for Saturday's race. 

Lunar Flare sat at the tail of small field in the Queen Elizabeth in what was a stop-start affair and controlled by Nash Rawiller on the winner Warning, an opponent again on Saturday. 

"She became detached from the field and lost sight of the bunny so to speak," Begg said. 

"Nash (Rawiller) rode the race beautifully on Warning. He dictated the race how he wanted it and made it a mathematic impossibility for her to make the ground up. 

"She's only having one more run and let's hope she can get back to her Moonee Valley Gold Cup form." 

Begg did concede Melbourne Cup placegetter Spanish Mission, now in the care of Peter Moody after running in the Cup for UK trainer Andrew Balding, would be hard to beat. 

"But he's got to come back to a mile-and-a-half and there's always a fatigue thing after a Melbourne Cup, I think, so we'll what happens," Begg said. 

"It's good prize money, so we might as well have a throw at the stumps." 

Spanish Mission dominates the market as the $1.50 favourite on TAB with Warning second pick at $5. 

Lunar Flare is currently a $16 chance. 


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