Moe trainer Ian Jones landed his first metropolitan win with Our Skeeta at Sandown on Wednesday and now wants to win his home town Cup with the four-year-old.
Jones, who combines training a small team of horses with his work as a plumber, bred Our Skeeta who is the second foal from his Stargazer mare Starkeeta.
The gelding is one of three horses Jones has in work but he has another five unnamed younger stock and two broodmares.
Ridden by Jason Benbow, Our Skeeta ($11) took out the Betfair Handicap by 2-1/4 lengths from Giresun with Sheahan a nose away third.
Jones said Benbow was impressed with Our Skeeta when he won an 800m barrier trial aboard him at Cranbourne in September.
He has been aboard him in all five starts this preparation for 1200m wins at Cranbourne and Sale before Our Skeeta stepped up to 1400m at Sandown.
The gelding had not raced beyond 1300m and had not won beyond 1200m before Wednesday.
He has now raced nine times for four wins and two seconds.
The Moe Cup has been shortened from 2050m to 1600m for this year only and will be run on a later date than usual, December 16.
It is usually two days before the Caulfield Cup in October but that meeting was transferred to Cranbourne this year as the Moe track wasn’t ready for racing following drainage work.
Luke Nolen dominated the Sandown meeting winning three of the seven races, two of them for leading trainer Peter Moody.
The two-time Melbourne premiership pair opened with Zabeel four-year-old Zoomania ($8) taking out the Premier Signs Maiden Plate (1600m).
Savabeel three-year-old Brambles ($2.45 fav) gave them a double with an impressive four-length win in the Le Pine Funerals Hcp (1600m).
Nolen completed the treble aboard eight-year-old Devils Quest ($20), prepared by Geelong-based Jason Clifford, in the Ahern’s At Highways After The Last Hcp (1800m).
Nolen currently leads the Melbourne jockeys’ premiership with 23 wins, four clear of Craig Williams and Michael Rodd.
Moody, with 28 wins, is 10 clear of his nearest rival Robert Smerdon.
AAP TURF
