Peter Moody has ruled out a Stradbroke Handicap start for Strawberry Boy and will use a race at Caulfield on Saturday to test the promising galloper for a potential spring target.
Strawberry Boy made a successful debut for the Moody stable with a tough win over 1400m at Flemington.
Strawberry Boy winning the Spotless Handicap at Flemington - photo by Race Horse Photos Australia
The former Gai Waterhouse-trained gelding steps out for the second time for Moody in The Chase Hotel Handicap (1600m) with Daniel Stackhouse to ride.
Strawberry Boy is among nominations for the Group One Stradbroke (1400m) in Queensland next month but Moody said Saturday’s race would be the four-year-old’s final start before he is given a rest ahead of the spring carnival.
“I want to give him a look at Caulfield because I reckon a race like the Toorak might be a good race for him in the spring,” Moody said.
The Group One Toorak Handicap is run over the same 1600m course as Saturday’s event and Strawberry Boy is yet to race at his new home of Caulfield.
The John Singleton-owned Strawberry Boy won four of his seven starts in Waterhouse’s care and was touted as a possible Caulfield Cup prospect after wins over 1300m and 1600m in Sydney last spring.
He ended that campaign with placings in the Kingston Town Stakes (2000m) and Colin Stephen Quality (2400m).
Moody said Strawberry Boy had to do it the hard way when racing keenly outside the leader first-up yet was still able to draw clear to win by a length over Good Value.
“He’s come on well from that,” Moody said, adding that the step up to the mile “should be ideal”.
Strawberry Boy is set to be joined in Saturday’s race by stablemate Oregon Spirit.
The Caulfield meeting has nine races with a $25,000 event over 2000m added to the card after the abandonment of Mornington’s meeting last Sunday.
