Amigo lands his second race win at Sandown
A gelding operation looks to have turned around the fortunes of high-priced yearling Amigo who landed his second race win at Sandown.
The Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman-trained galloper took out the Tobin Brothers Celebrating Lives Handicap (1000m) on Wednesday to remain unbeaten following a gelding operation.
Amigo was a $975,000 yearling purchase at the 2022 Gold Coast Magic Millions Sale and was having his sixth start on Wednesday.
Sent out the $2.60 favourite under Luke Nolen, Amigo scored by one-and-a-half lengths from Kahhof ($9.50) with Pia Mia ($4.40) a short-neck away third.
Amigo is part-owned by longtime Moody client Ron Wanless.
“He’s two for two as a gelding and that’s the good thing about the Wanless family,” Moody said.
“They paid a lot of money for him, but Ron always says, ‘treat them as your own, we’re after racehorses, not stallions’.
“I have to thank the Wanless family, as they put a fair bit in. We nutted a little bit off the bill last time (when successful at Mornington) and a little bit more today, but we’ve still got a fair way to go.”
Moody thought enough of Amigo to have a tilt at the Blue Diamond Series as a two-year-old last year.
After running fifth to Barber on debut in the Blue Diamond Prelude, Amigo was an emergency for the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes but failed to gain a start.
After three more starts as a late two-year-old, early three-year-old, Amigo was gelded and is unbeaten in two runs at 1000m this campaign.
“He became a bit of a thinker as a colt,” Moody said.
“His last run here he was going to run straight past them, but he didn’t try. Now I’ve got to think whether he ran the trip out or didn’t.
“We may look for an 1100-metre or 1200-metre race and see how he handles that and then maybe stretch him out further, but he’s come back in good order and seems to be applying himself.”
The Snitzel x You're So Good gelding goes back-to-back for @moodyracingpgm ✌️ pic.twitter.com/zoiqeXAbf6
— Racing.com (@Racing) January 17, 2024
More Racing News
The Black Cloud descends on Randwick rivals
Having begun the day questioning how well The Black Cloud had come back this campaign, Joe Pride ended it by labelling her a stakes-class horse in the making. The Proven Thoroughbreds filly took her record to three wins from four starts with a rousing first-up victory in Saturday’s Taylor Construction Handicap (1000m)...
Queensland tilt among the options for Neasham 2YO
A belated shot at the Brisbane winter carnival is among the options for lightly raced filly Aemelius after she upstaged a handy field of two-year-olds to win the opening race at Randwick. Having just her second start, the Annabel Neasham-trained youngster, who started at $12 with betting sites, went back to last...
Sargent hoping Casual Connection can earn a Brisbane Cup berth
John Sargent is crossing his fingers that Casual Connection’s narrow victory at Randwick will give him a sufficient ratings boost to squeeze into the field for the Brisbane Cup. A renowned trainer of stayers, Sargent saddled up two runners in the two-mile race last year, Essential Sky who finished fifth and Outlandos ninth, and...
Scarlet Oak wins Roses to earn G1 Queensland Oaks favouritism
Chris Waller has labelled Scarlet Oak a “rising star” after the lightly raced filly staked her Group One Queensland Oaks claims with a classy win over stablemate Mare Of Mt Buller in the Doomben Roses. The filly has come a long way in a short time, making a winning debut in New Zealand in...
Le Ferrari leads home Lindsay Park quinella at Sandown
A return to Sandown has paid a dividend for Lindsay Park galloper Le Ferrari who led home a one-two finish for Ben, Will and J D Hayes. Le Ferrari over-ran stablemate Rheinberg to claim the Thoroughbred Club Of Australia Handicap (1400m) on Saturday. Ridden by Ben Allen, Le Ferrari ($10) overhauled Rheinberg ($7.50) in the final...
Bois D’Argent upsets rivals in G1 Doomben Cup
Trainer Annabel Neasham has landed a second victory in the Doomben Cup with a horse she said was well over the odds. Imported galloper Bois D’Argent held off a late bid from New Endeavour to follow the win of Zaaki for Neasham in 2021 in the Group 1 2000m weight-for-age contest. Ridden by Blake...
Trip test next for Lady In Pink
A return to Sandown has brought out the best in the Leon and Troy Corstens-trained Lady In Pink who will now be stepped up in trip for a race at Flemington. Lady In Pink took out the Senet Gambling Law Experts Handicap (1600m) on Saturday and will head to Flemington for a 2000m...
Timely Sandown double for Dan O’Sullivan
The Ballarat stable of Dan O’Sullivan is enjoying a purple patch of form in the metropolitan area which has included a race-to-race double at Sandown. O’Sullivan welcomed back to the winner’s enclosure Way Up High in the Sportsbet Photo Finish Handicap (2400m) before Matriarch Rose took out the Stow Solutions Handicap (1600m) on Saturday. The...
Resolute reason for Waller filly to come up Roses
It carries Group Two status, but The Roses will have a distinct Group One feel for trainer Chris Waller as he prepares to saddle up the first Australian runner for John Stewart’s Resolute Racing. The American business tycoon created headlines earlier this year when he announced his intention to make an audacious...
Final roll of the dice for Classic prospects at Randwick
An 1800-metre three-year-old race at Randwick is set to have a bearing on the upcoming Classic races in Queensland with the majority of runners holding a nomination for either the Oaks or Derby. Seventeen horses, four of them emergencies, have been accepted for Saturday’s Wilson Asset Management Handicap and only Invincible...