Barrier statistics are against leading trainer Peter Moody winning his first Memsie Stakes after his two runners Anacheeva and King’s Rose both came up with wide barriers.
Reigning Caulfield Guineas winner Anacheeva, to be ridden by Craig Newitt, will jump from the outside gate in the 13-horse field while new stable acquisition King’s Rose, to be handled by Luke Nolen, came up with 11.
Le Zagaletta was the last horse to win from a double-digit draw when he scored from 12 in 2003.
Moody said the idea of of engaging the stable’s number one jockey for King’s Rose was that she wouldn’t be likely to clash with Nolen’s mount Lights Of Heaven in the lead-up races.
“Anacheeva and Lights Of Heaven will inevitably clash and I’m thinking that Luke will probably be riding Lights Of Heaven so I wanted to introduce a new jockey who can ride him (Anacheeva),” he said.
Anacheeva is having his first outing since running third to Memsie rival Shamrocker in the AJC Australian Derby (2400m) at Randwick in April and Moody said the draw was inconsequential for the Anabaa four-year-old.
“He being a staying horse, we’ll ride him quiet first-up anyhow,” he said.
Moody said a start in the $2.5 million Caulfield Cup (2400m) on October 15 was “form dependent”.
“I’d like to think he’ll be heading to those sorts of races,” he said.
King’s Rose, a Redoute’s Choice four-year-old mare, won five straight in New Zealand last preparation including the Group One 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton last November.
But Moody tempered that by saying it was a big step up from Kiwi three-year-old fillies races to Group Two weight-for-age level in Melbourne.
“She’s a nice filly and this will tell us where we go with her. She needs to find her level,” he said.
“I’d like to think she’s a Caulfield Cup horse but at this stage I’ve really got no idea. It’s a long way away.”
The winner of six of her 12 starts up to 2000m, King’s Rose hasn’t raced since finishing seventh to Midnight Oil in the New Zealand Oaks (2400m) in March.
The Mick Price-trained dual Group One winner Heart Of Dreams is $3.80 Memsie favourite with TAB Sportsbet ahead of Rekindled Interest ($4.60), King’s Rose ($6), Shamrocker ($8) with AJC Australian Oaks winner Absolutely at $12.
Anacheeva is at $13 as are Prince Obama and Red Colossus.
AAP TURF
