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A brief look at Moonee Valley on Friday night

3 minute read

A look at some of the action from the meeting at Moonee Valley on Friday night.

AMELIA'S JEWEL winning the Ladbrokes Stocks Stakes at Moonee Valley in Australia.
AMELIA'S JEWEL winning the Ladbrokes Stocks Stakes at Moonee Valley in Australia. Picture: Racing Photos

Amelia's Jewel breaks Valley mile record 

Amelia's Jewel was expected to win the Stock Stakes (1600m), but the West Australian wonder mare was forced to run a new track record to achieve the feat. 

Pride Of Jenni set a cracking tempo and it was only in the last 150m that Amelia's Jewel got the upperhand. 

It was the second run in Melbourne for Amelia's Jewel who has won both starts in contrasting fashion. 

First-up she came from back in the field after drawing wide, while on Friday night, Damian Lane elected to roll forward, a winning move, after a quick beginning. 

Lane said post-race that he would be recommending Amelia's Jewel stay in Melbourne to tackle the Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) at The Valley on October 28. 

"The way she handled The Valley, I'd be recommending staying in Melbourne, but we'll see what the ownership group thinks and work on a plan from there," Lane said. 

Trainer Simon Miller said Amelia's Jewel would derive benefit from her second outing this campaign and said Lane's input would be crucial in which direction the team takes. 

But Miller hinted the Cox Plate was likely to be on the agenda with the mare likely to run in the Toorak Handicap (1600m) at Caulfield two weeks earlier. 

"I'm tipping another four hundred plus metres… it's on the cards," Miller said. 

"Frosty (Lane) will help play a major part in that. I think the great thing is, if it was a track record then clearly she can absorb pressure. 

"We've still got heaps of room, she's not wound up yet, her coat's improving but from a fitness point of view we've got heaps of wiggle room, she's not screwed down yet." 

Griff Guineas bound 

Griff stamped himself a Caulfield Guineas hope with his victory in the Group 2 Stutt Stakes (1600m). 

The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained three-year-old is unbeaten in two starts in Melbourne after starting his career in Sydney with five runs. 

"He'd been running some terrific races up there and he's now got out to a trip," Eustace said. 

"It was a really smart ride by Mark (Zahra). We were keen to go forward, he took the race by the scruff of its neck, went forward and it was nice to see Olly then take up the running and we got a nice run in transit." 

Eustace said the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) had been discussed prior to the colt winning the Exford Plate (1400m) at Flemington on September 16, and the co-trainer said the race was firmly on the radar after Friday night's win. 

"We discussed it with Sean Griffiths, they're his colours," Eustace said. 

"It's great to get another winner for him, he's put a lot of money into the stable and he's actually in Noosa enjoying a jar up there, so he's in the right spot." 

Thousand Guineas aim for Coeur Volante 

Trainer Michael Moroney is not disappointed with the reprogramming of the Group 1 Thousand Guineas to later in the spring. 

Moved from its traditional date during the Caulfield Cup Carnival, the Thousand Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield will now be run post the Melbourne Cup Carnival. 

With the Thousand Guineas pushed back to mid-November, trainer Mike Moroney was afforded the luxury of giving Coeur Volante a break in the paddock before producing her to win first-up in the Group 3 Scarborough Stakes (1200m). 

"We've got a little program worked out, so we'll see how we go," Moroney said. 

"I was a bit worried about her coming here tonight, as she'd gone off her feed for a little while. 

"So, we put her in the paddock for a while in the middle of Winter and I wondered whether it was the right thing. 

"When she came back, she still wasn't eating but she came right in the last week so hopefully it'll be upwards from here." 

Maharba bounces back 

The real Maharba showed up to claim the Xtreme Freight Plate (1200m) after trainer Grahame Begg was left scratching his head after the gelding's first-up run at Flemington

Maharba finished 7-½ lengths astern of Archo Nacho in the Poseidon Stakes (1100m) on September 16 when he failed to get into the race. 

"We couldn't believe at Flemington the way the race unfolded," Begg said. 

"You were left with a few doubts in your mind that maybe he hasn't come up or whatever, but there were three or four horses in that race drawn out where he was, well in the market, and they never came into contention as well. 

"He prepped up well into the race and he's continued to improve once he's had that run." 

Begg said he may return to Moonee Valley for the Red Anchor Stakes (1200m) on Cox Plate Day after originally planning a start in the Danehill Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on Saturday week. 

"I think he's a good racehorse, he's very fair dinkum, but whether he's right up to the top echelon grade, that remains to be seen," Begg said. 

"We can just lower our goals, have the right races and just pick off a few and we'll be right." 


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