MOODY STRIKES WITH REGGIE IN PREMIER’S CUP

By Graham Potter | Monday, May 25, 2009

Premier’s Cup Handicap (Group 3 - Quality) - 2200m. Time: 2-22.16.
Track - Heavy 9. Rail - out 4m.

Reggie, a proven wet tracker, made Zac Purton’s long haul from Hong Kong a worthwhile effort by taking out the Group 3, Premier’s Cup Handicap at Doomben.

Content to sit wide in midfield for the first half of the race, Purton asked the mare to pick up ground in the sweep to the turn, which she did in a manner which immediately looked ominous for her rivals. Reggie cornered in sixth placing, close enough to strike and in clear running, perfectly poised to launch her challenge.

Reggie’s route to the lead was not a spectacular one, but it achieved its objective. At first it was more like grinding away. Then the momentum kicked in and, when Scattergun went with her along the inside and threatened to spoil her party, her determination came to the fore. Reggie was not going to be denied. In the end, Sacttergun gave way to her superior finish and Reggie was home by just a little more than three-quarters-of -a-length.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Peter Moody: “She found conditions to suit, this old mare. That’s her go, and she goes to the Broodmare Sale on the Gold Coast in eight or nine day’s time and if someone wants to buy her they can have a runner in the Brisbane Cup three days later.

“She was balanced and happy. She was three deep with cover and rolled into it nicely. No horse likes these conditions, but she gets through it better than most. Her form’s been good. She had no luck here the other day on a rock hard track. Back on the soft she was just too good today. I need the joy more than Zac (Purton). He’s got more money than me.”

The result of the race was not so kind to Moody’s other runner, Riva San. Riva San was one of the outstanding runners at the 2008 version of the Queensland Racing Winter Carnival where she scored a Group 1 double by taking out the Oaks and the Derby. That form has completely vanished in all six starts of her current preparation. While still only a four-year-old, this latest result could mark the end of the mare’s career.

Peter Moody: “Listen mate, I’ll be recommending to the owners that they retire her. But that will be their call.”

Jockey Zac Purton: “She just loves the going. It was just a matter of getting a nice enough run in the race and just letting her do the rest. I spoke to the owners about the race plan beforehand. I said, are you happy if I sit three wide with cover, because I thought that was the best part of the track – inside was being chopped up.

“She is a superior mud-lark, so I was really just keeping her nice and balanced ... keeping here happy and keeping her out of trouble. I thought that was the best place for her, so that she could unwind her long, sustained run when I needed to and she was too strong in the end.”

Purton also provided further insight to what went wrong with the run of Court Command in the Doomben 10 000.
Zac Purton: “I just feel that today, the horse just didn’t have his chance, you know. He didn’t handle the track. I’ve come all the way over here (from Hong Kong) to ride the horse for the owners and I feel a little bit empty. I just feel like he didn’t get a go. I want to give him one more go, so I’m going to come back and ride him in the Stradbroke for them.”

Purton’s trip from Hong Kong to Brisbane was a story in itself.

Zac Purton: “Mate, I was due to arrive (from Hong Kong) at 9:50am. As we were getting in they said the winds were too strong, so they diverted us to Townsville. Then, when they put petrol on the plane, they put too much on, so they had to take a bit off. They had to get clearance to do all of those sorts of things and it took forever. I got here at 1:30 and the race was a 2.30, so I had an hour from the plane until the time that the race was run. It was very rushed. Customs was a nightmare.”

Purton returned to Hong Kong immediately after completing his engagements at Doomben. Purton then proceeded to ride the first winner on the card at the meeting in Hong Kong on Sunday.

The eight-year-old Reggie is now an eleven-time winner from fifty-one starts.

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Reggie): 6.00 out to 7.00.
Favourite (Rabbuka): 4.20 out to 5.50 in to 4.80. Finished fourth.