Three-year-old Master Harry will go down as a milestone horse after bringing up the 500th win for the Peter Moody-Luke Nolen partnership at Flemington.
The successful trainer-jockey combination rivals that of past greats Tommy Smith and George Moore, Roy Higgins and Bart Cummings and Damien Oliver and Lee Freedman.
Moody and Nolen have been together for more than seven years after they linked up through a misunderstanding.
Luke Currie and Nolen’s brother Shaun were both regular riders for Moody but a mix-up of their names led to Luke Nolen being engaged for stable runners at a country meeting.
Moody said Nolen had done a “helluva job” as jockey while Nolen described the relationship as a “good fit”.
Moody only found out the 500-win partnership was imminent after talking to a Sydney journalist and statistician on Friday.
They reached 500 after a winning double at Moonee Valley on Friday night and another double at Flemington on Saturday with Golden Archer and Master Harry.
Moody won last year’s Melbourne trainers’ premiership and Nolen the jockeys’ title which reflects the rich success they have enjoyed together.
However it has not always been rosy and on Friday night Moody stirred Nolen into action.
“Last night he rode in the first two races at Moonee Valley and I told him to go in and have a cold shower and wake up,” Moody said.
“I thought he had gone to sleep on them and gave him a terrible serve and then he came out and won on two.”
Moody said Nolen was the first to arrive at the track on Saturday morning underlining his professionalism and commitment to the stable.
“That is the way you have got to work,” Moody said.
“He has his say, I have mine, and we get on with life.”
“No doubt he has marked himself in the top echelon of riders in the country.
“Certainly my stable has been part of it but my job only goes so far and he has got to do the rest out there on the track and he is doing a helluva job.”
The now-retired Typhoon Tracy last season gave both Moody and Nolen one of their biggest thrills when she was crowned Australia’s Racehorse of the Year.
But a new champion mare has filled her place and next Saturday at Flemington they are planning a Newmarket Handicap win with Black Caviar.
Moody said Master Harry could also line up against her while other stablemates Hinchinbrook and Panipique are also under consideration.
“I am not ruling anything in or out at the moment,” Moody said.
“It looks like it is going to rain, that is probably the risk now of not seeing her (Black Caviar),” Moody said.
Master Harry showed his love of the Flemington straight, posting his second 1000m win on the course in Saturday’s Listed Bob Hoysted Handicap, scoring by 2-1/2 lengths from older horses Palatine and Winter King.
Moody said that while the Newmarket was a possibility for Master Harry, the Group Two Yallambee Stakes (1200m) at Morphettville on March 14 was also an option.
“He’s a pretty smart colt,” Moody said.
AAP TURF
