Peter Moody is looking forward to the Caulfield Cup after Incentivise survived a high-pressure race to claim the Turnbull Stakes at Flemington.
Incentivise shortened into $2.50 favouritism with TAB for the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) on October 16 after registering his second Group 1 win on Saturday.
Having started his career with co-owner Steve Tregea in Queensland, Incentivise stretched his winning sequence to eight with Saturday’s 2000m victory, his last two for new trainer Peter Moody.
Brett Prebble refused to give up the fence on Incentivise ($2.70) who fought off Young Werther ($26) by a half-length with Chapada ($101) a further 1-¼ lengths away third.
“He’s a bloody tough horse, isn’t he,” Moody said.
In both his runs in Melbourne for Moody, Incentivise has been challenged, and rallied.
“This will really bring him on for the Caulfield Cup,” Moody said.
“He came into this slightly soft, and I’m still learning about the horse and believe that this will just top him off lovely.
“He’ll just stay at home for the next two weeks at Pakenham. The team do a great job.”
Prebble said he was so proud of Incentivise after he had to do a lot of work early in the race.
“He didn’t get much peace, but I’m fortunate he’s a very kind horse and he doesn’t take the bridle, he conserves his energy,” Prebble said.
“But he was going half-a-second quicker than I would have to for the first thousand, but then I let him work up through his gears from the half-mile.
“He gave me a good feel and I thought he was going to win and then he hit a flat patch about 400 metres out, and I would have liked another gear there, but there wasn’t one.
“He couldn’t go much faster, but he could see that other horse coming at him and I really loved his last 100, he was strong through the line and was really in his groove today.
“It was a real stayers feel. He can take it and he cop whatever is served at him and he ran them into the ground, and he showed today it was no fluke his last Group 1 win.
“He’s pretty cool.”
The well-supported Verry Elleegant was sent off the $2.10 favourite and finished fourth, 3-½ lengths astern of the winner.
Racing Victoria stewards ordered an examination of the mare but reported no abnormalities.
Damian Lane said Verry Elleegant was slightly disappointing.
“She travelled sweetly in the run and presented well, but I feel like she didn’t quicken as good as she can,” Lane said.
