VIGOR EMERGES AS NEW CAULFIELD CUP FAVORITE AFTER GUTSY WIN
TRAINER Peter Moody has blamed tactics adopted by rival jockeys for the defeat of his star mare, Typhoon Tracy, which went down by a nose to Vigor in Saturday’s G2 Makybe Diva Stakes, 1600m, at Flemington.
Vigor emerged as the new Caulfield Cup favorite after his tough win in the $400,000 weight-for-age feature but Moody was steaming when he spoke with Sports 927, the racing radio station in Melbourne today.
“It was heart-breaking to see her beaten the way she was,” Moody said. “We were happy to take a sit (on the Kiwi Maco’reilly) but we didn’t expect a 3,000-1 shot to be sitting up there diggerising her. If Luke (Nolen) had let that one go he would have been crucified for his ride. She was left as a sitting shot.”
Vigor, $8.50, emerged as the new $6 favorite for the Caulfield Cup after sitting wide and wearing down the $2.60 favorite, Typhoon Tracy. Jockey Damien Oliver was reprimanded over his whip use on the winner. Critics of the new whip rules argue that had Oliver not used the whip as vigorously he may not have won.
Oliver was so impressed by the win of Vigor, which sat wide, that he is considering dropping weight to ride the horse in the Caulfield Cup. “He would have to be a great Caulfield Cup chance with that weight drop, so I will be considering it, geez to win with 58kg and drop to 51kg it is pretty compelling,” Oliver said.
O’Brien admitted today he ‘may have beaten the handicapper’ with Vigor eight kilos below weight-for-age in the Caulfield Cup, 2400m, on October 17. “He developed a strong winning habit last spring. We are pleased he has kept that winning habit going.
“Potentially he is the best horse I have trained now that he has won a weight-for-age race reasonably early in his career. He is well handicapped in those big Cups. He is very good at Flemington where he has now won five of six and was unlucky in the other.
“He's a very, very good racehorse. Obviously we had never tested him against the quality opposition until this race but we were quietly confident he could take that step. It was very important that he won because he was a borderline case for a run in the Caulfield Cup.
“It's ballot free, he’s the first horse into the race with 51kg and he can’t be penalised for it. We've been patient with him, kept him away from the handicapper and now the wrapping is off,” O’Brien said.
Vigor had to work hard out wide after drawing barrier 11 in the 12-horse field but still managed to have his head in front on the line and won by a nose from Typhoon Tracy, which took a trail when the Kiwi Maco’reilly pressed forward to lead.
Oliver, who has ridden four Caulfield Cup winners, rode at 54.5kg at Flemington on Saturday and will consider shedding plenty of kilos to ride Vigor at 51kg.
Master O’Reilly, a stablemate of Vigor and the 2007 Caulfield Cup winner, worked home strongly to finish third and surprised O’Brien. “He has never gone better than that first-up before.”
Vigor was aimed at a Spring Cups campaign after winning five straight from 1600m to 2500m from October last year to January. “He'll probably go to the Underwood (at Caulfield on September 19) and then the Turnbull,” he said.
Liston Stakes winner, Predatory Pricer, backed from $5 to $3.80, disappointed in finishing seventh but his rider Steven King said he did a lot wrong in the race. “He may not have been suited racing inside horses,” King said.
C’est La Guerre ran an eye-catching fourth at his comeback. “I liked the effort. He ranged up to run a place but just tired the last bit,” jockey Steve Arnold said.
In latest CAULFIELD CUP betting with Mark Read’s IAS.com Vigor is the $6 favorite ahead of Speed Gifted at $9, C’est La Geurre and Whobegotyou at $14 and Shocking at $16.
The Lee Freedman-trained import, Speed Gifted, is now equal favorite at $12 with C’est La Geurre for the Melbourne Cup following his comeback win at Flemington yesterday. Profound Beauty is at $13, Changingoftheguard and Efficient $16 and Master O’Reilly and Viewed at $18.
$400,000 Group 2 MAKYBE DIVA STAKES WFA 1600m
VIGOR ($8.50) won by a nose from Typhoon Tracy ($2.60fav) with Master O’Reilly ($71) one and three-quarter lengths away third. Time: 1:35.82. Last 600m run in 35.54.
