Peter Moody thinks stable newcomer Incentivise can win the Makybe Diva Stakes at Flemington but at the same time does not think he deserves to be favourite.
Incentivise runs for the first time in Moody’s care in Saturday’s Group 1 feature over 1600m and has been heavily supported in early betting to be the $3.90 favourite with TAB.
While Moody says Incentivise looks “pretty special”, he and his staff are still learning about the stayer who goes into Saturday’s race having won his last six starts, for former trainer and part-owner Steve Tregea, by a cumulative 42 lengths.
On the strength of those victories, Incentivise currently sits atop the Caulfield Cup market at $7 and Melbourne Cup betting at $11.
“We’ve only had him for about seven or eight weeks and we’re still learning about the horse each and every day,” Moody told RSN.
“He looked outstanding in his wins in Queensland in the winter, but most of those were in benchmark racing and then at his last start we took on a few old warriors in the Tatts Cup and he put them away.
“But the way that he did it was the scintillating thing.”
Moody said Incentivise came down from Queensland, by road, with residual fitness following his winter campaign and had not been asked to do a lot to date.
Incentivise finished fifth in a Cranbourne barrier trial on August 30 and has had a couple of soft gallops at Pakenham.
“He hasn’t had a push the button gallop to see what is there,” Moody said.
“He had a soft trial and a couple of soft gallops here at home working up in company, but he does it so effortlessly.
“He does look like a good horse, but he is taking on 10 individual Group 1 winners over a mile and I’m mindful it is the start of a Cups campaign.
“But he does look pretty special in everything he does and the way that he goes about doing it.”
