David Braithwaite
IT was a beautiful day at Greenwattle Racecourse for the Sale Cup on Sunday.
And even more so if you were Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman.
The Pakenham-based co-trainers prepared three wins on day, including Pounding in the $200,000 main race.
The six-year-old son of Exceed and Excel won his first race since February 2023, taking his record to eight victories from 45 starts.
The $120,000 first prize took his career earnings to $1.33 million. Making the success even more impressive was the fact Pounding was coming off a fifth placing at Moonee Valley on Friday night.
It was partly history being recreated, as Moody and jockey Luke Nolen combined to win the Sale Cup 18 years ago with Emerald Jack.
Coin Toss set the pace early in the 1600-metre race, ahead of local hope Starspangled Baby and favourite Arran Bay.
Arran Bay looked the winner, but Nolen switched Pounding to the centre of the track heading into the straight and put in a mighty run late to win by less than half a body length.
Moody told Racing.com it was good to break the drought.
“He is a stable stalwart; we all love him, and he has been a tremendous horse for Wylie Dalziel, Rosemont Stud, and partners. You call him an enigma, but he has won over $1.3 million. These are the sought of horses owners dream of,” Moody said.
“Kudos to the team. He loves stable life – shoots down to Laurinston Park, who do a great job with him. He has a little freshen-up, comes back, and we throw a saddle on him to go to the races. There is not a lot of science to it.”
Moody and Coleman’s first win came in race three, the 1100m maiden plate, with Legacy Bay, ridden by Carleen Hefel. The filly kicked away from Lunar Module to win by a length and three quarters.
The training team’s treble, and a winning double for Nolen, was brought up in the last race, the benchmark 70 handicap over 1200m. In his first start since December last year, injury-riddled He’s Handsome just got up over Just got up over Dane On Tour.
It was a great out day for the community, with the glorious spring weather attracting a good turn-out.
As well as quality racing, patrons enjoyed the hospitality, fashions on the field and music from Melbourne duo Sam + Sam. The Greenwattle track was in great condition on Sunday, beginning the day rated a “good four” before being upgraded to “good three” after race three.
Jamie Mott also recorded a winning double, riding back-to-back victors.
Mott rode Ruakaka to victory in race five, the 1600m benchmark 64 handicap for Cranbourne trainer Cindy Alderson. The favoured four-year-old gelding, who finished second at Sale last start earlier this month, found a way forward heading into the straight, got up by three-quarters of a length form second favourite Here Comes Johnnie.
The next, the 2200m benchmark 54 handicap, was arguably the race of the day, with eight horses in contention with 600m to go.
In Your Hands, trained by Andrea Leak at Pakenham and ridden by Mott, held his ground along the inside to win by a nose from Just Berrilliant. The five-year-old gelding has been inside the top three in five starts this preparation, including two wins.
The day began with Tango Queen, ridden by Beau Mertens and trained by Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald at Pakenham, winning race one, the three-year-old maiden plate over 1400m, by three-quarters of a length from Sigiriya Rock for Chris Waller.
Maui Man, trained by Thomas Nikolic at Cranbourne and ridden by Thomas Stockdale, narrowly won race, the 1400m four years and over maiden, from favourite The Western Front from the Hayes stables.
Moonlight Rustler, trained at Sale by Bill Wood, almost saluted after race four, the benchmark 64 handicap over 1000m.
The eight-year-old gelding went out to the lead early, and held on until being passed late by Subsix, trained by Lloyd Kennewell and Lucy Yeomens at Cranbourne and ridden by Rhys McLeod.
Subsix now has three wins from 10 starts.
The day’s second biggest race, the $100,000 benchmark 70 handicap, a heat of the Melbourne Cup Carnival Country Series, was won by Eye Of The Eagle, ridden by Zac Spain for John McArdle at Mornington.
The five-year-old gelding, who was $13.50 on the tote, pipped San Marino at the post.
The next meeting at Greenwattle will be the pre-Christmas event on Sunday, December 22.