Co-trainer Peter Moody was quietly confident Bridal Waltz could turn the tables on raging favourite She’s An Artist in the Listed Creswick Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on Saturday.
After finishing 4-1/4 lengths adrift of impressive winner She’s An Artist on June 21st, Bridal Waltz was sent out a $13 chance and held off the $1.30 betting favourite by a fairly comfortably ¾ of a length, with 1-1/2 lengths back to Duchess Zou ($13) in third.
Moody, who trains in partnership with Katherine Coleman, said there were a few factors leading into the Creswick that he thought could help bridge the gap.
“She did very well post Adelaide so we sort of decided that she went into that (last run) probably slightly underdone,” Moody said.
“She was ready to peak today but obviously respectful of the two that beat her coming here from the other day, but we thought we were in the wrong part of the track.
“We were quietly confident we could turn it around, we just had to hope the favourite maybe wasn’t as good as the hype.”
Moody said Bridal Waltz was a very straightforward filly who will likely have a short break before targeting further stakes races in the Spring.
“She’s just a gutsy little filly from a terrific family,” Moody said.
“She Dances; her sister who we sold earlier in the year and this filly, and we’ve got the two-year-old at home that we quietly like as well, so they’re all just nice running horses.
“She just added very much to her value, she’s been stakes placed here and now she’s a stakes winner which is so very important.
“I would think a little few weeks off now, let the dust settle, and then just pick our mark carefully through the spring without trying to be too excited.”
It was a case of husband against wife in the final 200m as Ben Melham held wife Jamie at bay, the pair having recently returned from honeymooning overseas.
“A fair chance of sleeping in the spare room, I would imagine,” Ben Melham joked.
“My filly dug really deep when I needed her to. She just got a lovely rhythm for me.
“I was just able to control the race, control the speed. She was a fit horse and just let down too quickly.”
