Unbeaten three-year-old Moment Of Change is in doubt for the Caulfield Guineas despite successfully graduating to city class with an easy win at Sandown.
TAB Sportsbet tightened Moment Of Change from $9 to $7 equal second favourite for the Guineas after he coasted home in Wednesday’s Hyland Race Colours Handicap (1300m), but trainer Moody is unsure if he will get to the Group One feature on October 8.
Moody has already ruled out the traditional lead-up, the Caulfield Guineas Prelude (1400m) on September 24, believing it will come too soon for the son of Barely A Moment.
“We are not busting a gut to have him in the Caulfield Guineas,” Moody said.
“I think he is in the top bracket but whether that is this time around is very questionable.
“It would be a big ask for a horse to go to a Guineas in his first prep.”
Notably, Moment Of Change’s win was in the same race as 2007 Caulfield Guineas winner Weekend Hussler.
Weekend Hussler also won his next start at Sandown and the Guineas at only his fifth race start.
The Guineas would be Moment Of Change’s fourth career start if Moody went down that avenue.
Moment Of Change hit the spotlight when he won his race debut by 10 lengths at Murtoa and was just as impressive at Sandown scoring by 3-3/4 lengths from Meethaq and Vatican.
“The sky is the limit but we are not going to get ahead of ourselves,” Moody said.
“We will just go home and see how he pulls up and find the next best option for him.”
He said the Group Two Stutt Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley on September 30 or another restricted race were possibilities.
“He’s a good horse but I don’t know how good,” Moody said.
“He hasn’t been tested at home or at the races to this point, and I just don’t know how far he is going to get in his first preparation.
“I think he has a lot of potential but he is such a big, raw horse you just know one day you are going find him laying down with growing pains.”
“If he puts up the white flag he will go to the paddock.”
Moody said Moment Of Change would be a better autumn horse and the Australian Guineas and the Randwick Guineas maybe better options than the Caulfield Guineas.
AAP TURF
