Pathway from Australian Guineas towards Australian Derby ambitions
Peter Moody, the trainer, is disappointed by the limited options in three-year-old races, compelling two long-distance prospects to enter the Australian Guineas.
Entries include Victorious Spirit and Bingi for the Group 1 1600m showdown at Flemington on Saturday, alongside a benchmark 66 over the same course at Cranbourne Friday night versus more experienced competitors.
For the Cranbourne race, Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman's charges would lug 61.5kg and 60kg apiece, but the trainer views the Saturday fixture as the smarter choice.
"I probably don't need to be butting heads with those horses but it's the race that will take me to where I want him to be and Bingi is a bit the same," Moody said.
"I'm nearly forced to run them because there's no three-year-old race at a mile on a Wednesday meeting, or anything like that, and really there's only the Guineas, and if you want to go to 2000 (metres) at your next start, it doesn't help.
"He (Victorious Spirit) went well first-up and there may be worse than him there, but it would be nice to find something easier, and it would be cheaper than running in a Group 1.
"Hopefully he can finish in the top five to pay for the day."
With 12 horses nominated for the Australian Guineas, standouts are Observer and Planet Red, who took one-two in the Autumn Stakes (1400m) with Victorious Spirit third, and Sixties, recent C S Hayes victor at Flemington.
The trainer eyes the Australian Derby for Victorious Spirit, though he questions if the son of Ghaiyyath – also father to Victoria Derby winner Observer – is ready, adding that Bingi seeks 2000m ground.
"He's the right horse for the Derby, but whether he's mature enough," Moody said of Victorious Spirit.
"We've got three Derbies still left, so there's a chance he could run in one of them.
"The Australian Derby is the only one I haven't won.
"I've won over in Perth, I've won the Northern Territory Derby as an owner, I've won in Tasmania, I've won a few in Queensland, as well Victoria and South Australia.
"I've been placed in the Australian Derby, so it's an itch I want to scratch."
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