CAUL AUG 28 - MARVELLOUS MOUDRE MARCHES ON

By Taron Clarke | Sunday, August 29, 2010

Caulfield, August 28, 2010.
Track - Slow 7. Rail - out 10.0m.
Heatherlie Handicap (Listed – Open) - 1700m. Penetrometer 5.88.
Time: 1-46.02. (Carrying 53.5kg).
1 Moudre; 2 Diggersanddealers; 3 Apprehend.

Moudre continued to climb the steep ladder towards the major Cups with a barnstorming victory in the Listed Heatherlie Handicap over 1700 metres. In his first metropolitan run away from Flemington, Moudre adapted to the narrower pastures of Caulfield with ease and rocketed up the betting markets for the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups.

Trainer Ciaron Maher, who has already tasted Group One success with Tears I Cry, has a firm plan in place to ensure the son of Blevic qualifies for the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups. Next stop sees a return to Caulfield for the Group Three Naturalism Stakes over 2000 metres on September 18.

In his toughest test to date, Moudre was away fairly from his extreme outside barrier from the 1700 metre start. Williams allowed the son of Blevic to find his feet early doors and the pair drifted back to third last racing three deep.

Taking up the early running was Diggersanddealers for apprentice Jason Maskiell. Maskiell took the seven-year-old down to the fence and assumed the pacemaker role from Niptious on his outside. Out wide on the track was Rick Hore-Lacy’s galloper Pinnacles who was up searching for a position to slot into closer to the fence.

The field negotiated the first turn at the 1400 metre mark and Diggersanddealers showed out by a half-length to Niptious. Steven Arnold had managed to slot into a lovely trailing position on Pinnacles into third after galloping only 300 metres.

The speed was generous and this allowed the field to stretch out over twenty lengths. The solid tempo also allowed Williams to slot the favourite Moudre in one off the fence fifteen lengths off the leader.

Racing midfield one off the fence was the blueblood Triumphant Choice. The Moody trained galloper was having his first start since a five week let up.

Diggersanddealers and Niptious carted the field along down the side of the track and that pairing led out by three lengths to Pinnacles who continued to race in third position.

Back in the field a few jockeys were starting to get a touch anxious and eased their mounts out three and four wide to make some ground on the leading pair.

The first horse to commence the three wide line was the second favourite Apprehend for jockey Mark Zahra. The Tony Noonan galloper had raced better than midfield from his favourable barrier draw of four. Zahra brought the chestnut gelding out three wide around the heels of Hissing Sid and Soul Diva.

Craig Williams was another jockey keen to get out wide and get moving. Being on the hotpot Moudre, Williams was able to ensure a trouble free passage to the line by avoiding the heels of runners to his immediate front. Moudre and Williams came six and seven wide and started a long searching run from the 800 metre mark at which time they spotted the leader Diggersanddealers some twelve lengths.

Luke Nolen was content to make ground through the ruck of runners on Triumphant Choice. The Moody galloper was racing two horses inside of Moudre as field approached the home corner.

The leaders commenced the turn for home and once again the Diggersanddealers steered a deliberate course six horses off the fence and the gelding held a length margin over Niptious who was starting to weaken.

Moudre had made a long sustained run and shortly after straightening at the 300 metre mark was only three lengths of the leader Diggersanddealers. From the 300 metre marker it was clear for all to see the galloper you wanted to be on was Moudre.

The big son of Blevic had managed to gather in the early pacemaker Diggersanddealers at the furlong pole and looked set to career away with the Listed event.

With one flick of the whip Moudre quickly put up two lengths on Diggersanddealers and a length astern to Apprehend. Making ground through the field was the Moody galloper Triumphant Choice, but as soon as Moudre hit the front it was time to put down the glasses.

Moudre gave the others a galloping lesson over the concluding stages as Williams pushed the gelding out hands and heels to score a comfortable victory on the line.

Moudre and Williams bounded away for an impressive victory posting a three and a quarter length margin to Diggersanddealers who did well to stick on, and a further half-length back to Apprehend in third.

Of the beaten brigade Triumphant Choice mad good steady ground in his first racetrack appearance since a five week let-up. The Lloyd Williams owned Muir, having his first start since Anzac Day, made a sound return to the track with a view to the longer races as the carnival progresses.

But all honours were with the victor. The Ciaron Maher trained galloper is a horse the Australian racing public can get excited about. A paddock bred horse from humble beginnings, the horse continues to improve and adapt to various situations, and the victory has proven the son of Blevic can sustain a long run off a genuine tempo.

Moudre appears to be an adaptable horse who settles well in his races, handles all conditions and most of all has a turn of foot and can sustain a run. The hardest thing for this horse will be qualifying for the major spring Cups which are now clearly on the radar.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Ciaron Maher: “Apparently the family, that’s what they do. They take a while to find their feet and mature and he keeps getting better, so it is quite exciting.

“He keeps answering his critics and that was a good win. It takes a while for a few of them to find their feet, but he's really come on and matured in the last year.

“This preparation, when he really came back and did what he did over 1400 metres, he really just cemented that he was a horse.

“He will go to the Naturalism now … back here in three weeks.

Jockey Craig Williams: “He gave me a feeling like a horse named Leica Falcon that I rode through the ranks a few years ago.

“He's a potential star and the best part about him is that he's such a relaxed character who takes riding. When you stoke him up he finds gear after gear, he's exciting."

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Moudre): 2.50 out to 2.60 in to 2.45.
The winner was the favourite.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Approaching the first turn near the 1400m Apprehend had to be eased when momentarily tightened for room by Soul Diva which was taken in by Pinnacles before Pinnacles was then straightened.

Stewards were satisfied that S Arnold, rider of Pinnacles, had made sufficient effort to relieve the pressure and for that reason no direct action was taken other than to advise him to exercise more care.

Near the 800m Triumphant Choice shifted out slightly resulting in Belscenica shifting out abruptly and forcing Moudre wider on the track.

Inside the 300m Pinnacles, which had commenced to give ground, was tightened for room between Niptious which shifted out and Apprehend which shifted in and away from Moudre.

S Arnold (Pinnacles) was of the opinion that his mount didn’t run out the distance of today’s event and would be better suited if freshened up and brought back in distance. A post-race veterinary examination of Pinnacles failed to reveal any abnormalities.

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