TOM HAYES
HORSE RACING
By TOM HAYES
MOE Racing Club was lucky enough to hold two meets in the space of 11 days, first with the Sunday Racing on June 4, followed by Thursday Racing on June 15.
Sunday Racing began off the eight-race meet on a Soft 7 track, with the Race 1 S&S Equipment Hire 3YO Maiden Plate, ran over 1217 metres.
Power Cable for Cranbourne’s Luke Oliver ran primarily at the rear of the field, and was still a length-or-more behind when they opened up onto the straight.
As the field spread out, Power Cable shot up the inside of the two leaders, stealing the win in the final hundred metres, winning by a head to Firestorm Boy.
It was another close finish in the Race 2 Brandt Leongatha Maiden Plate (1117m), with the two pace-setters going at it until the end.
Straight out of the gates it was Bold Response who tackled the lead, close behind was Bangholme for Cranbourne’s Adrian McGregor.
They went stride for stride down the main straight before Bangholme nabbed the lead in the final 100m, to win by a length.
There was six horses within a length at the line in the Race 3 Smick Health & Fitness 0-58 Handicap (1017m).
For just about the whole kilometre of racing, Scoria Star led the field around the racecourse, but things got really tight in the final 200m of racing.
Diamatti for Pakenham’s Allison Sheehan got a clean run out of the bend and onto the straight, going four abreast.
He continued to kick on, finding the lead at the latest possible point to win by a nose to Scoria Star.
Once again, there was a lot on the mix for the Race 4 Cool Group Companies 0-58 Handicap (2088m).
With a couple of local runners in the field, there was a chance that someone would come home with a win, and they did.
Bishop Rock for Sale’s Susie Wells was one of the more persistent runners, climbing from the middle of the pack to snatch the lead and hit the line first by just under a length.
It was just the fourth win in Bishop Rock’s 61-race career, and his first since July 2022 on Pakenham’s synthetic track.
Two horses went stride for stride in Race 5’s Young Signs 0-58 Handicap (2447m), as they blitzed the rest of the field.
The field was very spread out as they crossed the 1400m-mark, but began to bunch back up around the 600m-mark.
Surprisingly, the two pace-setters held firm at the front of the pack for the entire race, especially Star Stock for Pakenham’s Tori Madigan, who led from the jump.
A local found the line first in another close finish in Race 6’s Law Somerville Industries 0-58 Handicap (1217m).
A few locals were there at the pointy end of the race too, so it could’ve gone to anyone.
Lochend Umosa – who used to me trained by Sale’s Paul Worthington – sprinted to an early five-length lead at the 700m-mark, while the rest of the field gathered themselves getting ready for the bend.
Lochend Umosa toned down at the 300m-mark, leaving it all to play for, for those who waited patiently.
Quindi Pensi made an early charge for the line but was quickly challenged by Changing Tracks for Moe’s Paul and Tracey Templeton.
Also in the hunt was Pride Of Galway for Moe’s Lenny Xuereb.
Changing Tracks hit the front in the final 100m and just about hung on.
Finally, there was a race that was well and truly over before they hit the line, in the Race 7 Hip Pocket Latrobe Valley 0-58 Handicap (1628m).
Headsmart for Cranbourne’s Mark Webb sat off-pace while two horses went at it up the front.
They soon died down, allowing Headsmart to make his move on the outside, and he snatched the lead while turning the corner.
He burst out into the lead and ran away with it by nearly three lengths.
Just when you thought there couldn’t be another winner by a nose, there was one in the final race of the meet – the Race 8 Ladbrokes Racing Club 0-58 Handicap (1628m).
The two to hit the line first came from a mile back to hit the front, in Reparter and Toorak Playboy for Pakenham’s Josh Allen.
As they hit the straight they both continued to separate themselves from the field, but it was Toorak Playboy that managed to get to the line first, by a nose, again!
Both finished over two lengths clear of the rest of the pack.
BACK for the second time in less than two weeks, Moe Racing Club hosting a nine-race Thursday Racing meeting on June 15, including a stack of locally trained talent.
The track was originally graded as a Soft 7, but constant drizzle saw the track downgraded even further to a Heavy 8 ahead of Race 3.
We’d have to wait until Race 2 to see some locals in action, but the Race 1 Ladbrokes Communities 2YO Fillies Maiden Plate was over 1100 metres.
Setosa and Sakowin held the pace at the front early while others ordered themselves in the field.
As they hit the straight Elderberry for Anthony Freedman burst from the midfield and had a clear run down the middle of the straight.
She held strong pace and turned on the afterburners in the final 150m to win by a length and a half.
The favourite, Pop Rock for Cranbourne’s Greg Eurell was no match for the field in the Race 2 S&S Equipment Hire 3YO Maiden Plate (1000m).
The three-year-old gelding jumped best and held the pace with a couple of other runners.
As they turned the bend, Pop Rock ran clear and put nearly four lengths between himself and the field, claiming a comfortable victory.
It was a two-horse race in Race 3’s Bottlemart Moe Maiden Plate (1600m) going down to the wire.
The track shifted to a Heavy 8, so it would only make things more difficult.
Fine Rebel for Cranbourne’s John Moloney led from the jump and just about had no issues until the very end.
Moe’s Ian Jones had two horses in the field, Grand Maxim finished eighth – climbing from the rear, while Red Rocky almost climbed – but only as far as 11th.
Once again, two horses took it down to the wire in the Race 4 Ladbroke It! Maiden Plate (2050m).
Both made strong cases for themselves, as Upwoods shot up from the midfield, and Rathmacarthy stormed home from a backmarker position.
The first local runner to provide some fireworks was Bucks for Sale’s Damien Walkley when he stormed home to win by over two lengths.
The grey led for the whole two-kilometre race, fending off challenging horses with ease.
Tylden for Tylden’s John Salanitri came home strong to win the Race 6 Moe Optical BM58 Handicap (2050m).
Priced at $12, there were six horses rated better than her, but after shooting up from a midfield position, she put herself in the best position to win clearly.
There was a hot finish in the Race 7 Ian Grants Caravans 0-64 Handicap (1100m), with nine horses scrambling to the line within five lengths of each other.
Dancelittlesister for Cranbourne’s Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young was up and about for most of the race, but was known to drop off at the death.
As they rounded the bend, she was challenged by Burton Street, who was closing in quick and looked like they might pinch the lead.
But the favourite proved why she should be backed, hanging on to win by a head.
If you thought Race 7 was a hot finish, wait until you hear about the Race 8 Ladbrokes Hub F&M BM64 Handicap (1200m).
This time, the top eight runners were separated by no more than three lengths, and the winner was locally trained.
It seemed to be a stacked field, with the favourite’s odds as high as $4.40, leading into the race.
Melanie led the field around the bend, before they all sprinted for home, with saw the leader swallowed by five horses, falling into the pack.
Prominent was Elvaric, who leap to the front, but didn’t look confident to finish the race ahead.
Nonetheless, it managed to just hold on, fending off two incoming horses, beating second-placed Shalily by a head and Juice Box by 0.3 lengths.
The final race of the meet saw three locally-trained horses in the mix, one of which wasn’t too far away from victory.
Satin Image for Sale’s Heather Stephens was the early leader, holding onto a front position until around the 400m-mark.
She eventually dropped off and crossed the line in seventh, nearly four lengths off the pace.
All eyes were up the front on Jakk’s Fortune, who moved from a midfield position, becoming one of the contenders.
All horses were eventually outdone by Headsmart, who completed back-to-back wins, winning by nearly two lengths after staying close to the inside rail after taking the lead at the bend.
