Three-year-old Flamberge continued his liking for the straight course at Flemington with an opening race victory on Saturday.
And owner David Moodie says the plan will be to stick to the winning formula by looking to target more races at the famous track.
Flamberge winning Race 1 at Flemington - photo by Race Horse Photos Australia
Flamberge scored the third win of his eight-start career in the Living Legends Handicap (1000m), but took his record at Flemington over a straight course to two wins and a second from three attempts.
“He’s a very consistent horse, but particularly up the straight,” Moodie said.
“It runs in the family. Curtana and Sunburnt Land have all been good horses up the straight.
“He did all the bullocking work today and held on, so it was a very good win. I think we’ll just wait for another Flemington meeting up the straight.”
Flamberge ($4.80) sat on the speed throughout and gave a solid kick to defeat favourite Lankan Rupee ($4.40) by a long neck with a length to Genteel ($5) third.
Half-brother Sunburnt Land won a Straight Six at Flemington and placed in both the Salinger Stakes and Patinack Farm Classic in 2008, while Flamberge’s full-sister Curtana is a dual Listed winner at Flemington and was second in a Coolmore Stud Stakes.
Flamberge was ridden by Vlad Duric and the jockey made it an early double when he partnered Coins to an impressive 3-1/4-length win in the Riding For The Disabled Plate (1400m).
The Peter Snowden-trained filly put the writing on the wall with a pleasing first-up third at Caulfield, despite doing things wrong, and improved stepping up from 1200m to 1400m second-up.
“We had a meeting yesterday actually and I said if she improves off her first-up run she’s a dead-set moral,” Melbourne stable foreman Paul Snowden said.
“She was really good late.”
Snowden said he was keen to test the filly over 1600m and 1800m later this campaign.
