He’s currently riding the best mare in the land, won numerous Group 1 races and has a stranglehold on the Victorian Jockey premiership, but Luke Nolen may just have his biggest day in racing this Saturday.
Nolen has secured three top rides for the weekend including impressive three year old filly ‘Set For Fame’, whom along with ‘Linton’ shapes as a big chance to claim the $750 000 Australian Guineas. Trainer Peter Moody rates the filly highly and is confident of her hitting the line hard after the 1600m, which seems to be the major question mark for a few of the other top chances.
The second of Nolen’s rides has never won a Group 1 race but with three consecutive second placings and a gritty fourth at the top level, some people would say that ‘Wanted’ is due for a win. Carrying only 51.5kg in the Newmarket Handicap, Wanted leads Peter Moody’s charge of the light brigade and shapes as Nolen’s biggest chance for headline success.
Moody said on Wanted’s chances, “He is a tough horse and he is suited at handicap conditions, this is his race”.
If Wanted can reproduce his run in last springs ‘Patinack Classic’ he will surely be hard to beat and earn that deserved Group 1 trophy.
‘Sirmione’, Bart Cummings last Australian Cup winner in 2008, shapes as the outsider of Nolen’s trio.
After Saturday and Tuesday’s excellent trackwork however, the master trainer himself seems quietly confident with his horse stating, “It’s a good weight-for-age race, It’s hard to win, but my horses are fit enough”.
A win wouldn’t suprise even the harshest of Cummings’ critics as the horse seems to relish Flemington’s spacious straight. This would be a great result for Cummings after losing his stable stars ‘Viewed’ and ‘So You Think’ for the Autumn.
With these three rides on Flemington’s ‘Super Saturday’, Nolen has the chance to cement his place at the top of the current jockey ranks, and write his name into horse racing’s history books.
(TAB Sportsbet currently has assessed Set for Fame at $5.50, Wanted at $21 and Sirmione at $15)
Written by Isaac Chaplin
