The Peter Moody and Luke Nolen pairing were once a lethal combination and still are when circumstances permit.
The pair are best remembered for the association with the unbeaten champion Black Caviar, but there have been a number of other feature race wins along the way.
Surprisingly Moody and Nolen only have one VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) win to their credit, combining with Lightsaber last year.
But they will be hoping to make it back-to-back wins when the team with Merchant Prince in the Group 2 race at Flemington on Saturday.
Moody said the pair was not dissimilar and that Merchant Prince had been his Sires’ horse all the way through his campaign.
Lightsaber went into last year’s Sires’ at his fourth career start while Merchant Prince will be having his fifth outing on Saturday.
Merchant Prince kicked off his career on January 8 at Caulfield before winning on his home track on January 27 and then running second to Sires’ rival Sir Bailey at Sandown on February 16.
Moody slotted in another run for Merchant Prince with the colt finishing a fast close seventh to Daumier in the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield a fortnight ago.
Lightsaber, on the other hand, started his career a week later than Merchant Prince before registering successive wins at Sandown over 1300m and 1400m and then stepping straight into the Sires’.
“Lightsaber was probably a bit more natural whereas this bloke has just taken a bit more racing to get him going,” Moody said.
Moody also saddles Do It La, a daughter of Shalaa who was successful at her only outing at Ballarat.
“She’s more inexperienced but she’s a lovely progressive filly that will make a nice three-year-old,” Moody said.
