HORSE RACING
By LIAM DURKIN
MOE Racing Club’s last official meeting for 2025 was held at the weekend.
Festive spirit was alive at Sunday’s meeting, with patrons enjoying the usual Christmas festivities.
A number of work groups also used the meeting to hold break-ups.
Windy conditions played some havoc, although the track maintained its Good 4 rating across all eight races.
Jockey Ben Allen celebrated a riding double, including one for Moe trainer Peter Gelagotis in Race 4 on board Caelius.
The three-year-old colt has been highly touted by the stable since running second on Moe Cup day.
He took short-priced favouritism into Sunday’s meeting, and won the Kim McFarlane Criminal Lawyers Maiden Plate over 1600 metres.
Racing name sponsor Kim McFarlane has been a prominent face around Moe Racing Club, and ironically given her career as a lawyer – a previous cup day fashions on the field judge.
Caelius came from sixth with 400m to go, putting in a methodical run to win on the inside from the Anthony and Sam Freeman-trained Leveraged Buyout.
“He jumped better, I said to Ben ‘don’t panic, let it begin and unfold in front of you’,” assistant trainer Manny Gelagotis told Racing.com.
“What pleased me most is he wanted to get past that horse (the leader), he’ll learn a lot from that.
“It’s no secret, we’ve got a big opinion of him, I think he could really develop into a nice staying three-year-old into the future … the worlds his oyster.”
Allen rode his first winner in the Race 1 Yarragon Country Style Bakery Maiden Plate (1200m) on board Warrior Within for Julius Sandhu.
Cranbourne’s Alex Ray won the Race 2 Purcell Painting 3YO Maiden Plate (1100m) with Firerated, while the Indulge Yourself Beauty Maiden Plate (ran over 1000 metres) saw Flat Chat win
for Pakenham-based trainer Colin Scott.
The Moe Refrigeration BM62 Handicap (1600m) was won by Oak Beach for Mornington trainer Jim Conlan, and the Australian Moving Logistics 0-62 Handicap (2050m) by Calypso King for Geelong’s Paul Koumis.
Pakenham trainers made the journey to Moe the day after their cup, with Mitchell Leek getting a winner in the Race 7 Ladbrokes Quick Multi BM56 Handicap (1000m) when Mr Tickles did the business.
Moe Cup-winning trainers Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young saw out the meeting with victory in the Strzelecki Reality BM62 Handicap (1200m), thanks to the efforts of El Tercero.
Moe might still have one meeting for the calendar year, with this Sunday’s meeting at Sale Turf Club a possibility of being transferred.
Maintenance works generally occur on the Sale track immediately after the Sale Cup, however, huge downpours at this year’s cup has meant works have been delayed.
