Peter Moody stopped short of tipping Ole Dancer to beat Tempted in this Saturday’s Surround Stakes, but one thing in particular has the Hall of Fame trainer optimistic about his filly’s prospects.
The daughter of Ole Kirk will chase a second Group 1 win in the 1400-metre event at Randwick, having won the 1600m Thousand Guineas last spring.
Tempted was beaten as a short-priced favourite in last year’s Golden Rose (1400m) at her only start beyond 1200m and Moody said a good barrier would give Ole Dancer her chance after the benefit of a first-up run at 1400m, when second in the Desirable Stakes.
“The good thing about my girl is she’s going to be strong at the end of 1400, isn’t she?,” Moody said.
“I just hope we draw a barrier, that’s the main thing.
“The other day we had to go back from seven, you don’t want to have to go back from 10 or 12 and give it (Tempted) a start. I’d rather be three in front of it on the turn than three behind it.”
Ole Dancer is yet to race the Sydney way of going, but impressed Moody, who trains in partnership with Katherine Coleman, with a clockwise track gallop at Pakenham on Saturday morning.
Zac Lloyd will take the reins in the Surround Stakes, replacing the suspended Luke Nolen.
Nolen rode Ole Dancer in the Desirable Stakes, when she worked home from last to be beaten 2-1/2 lengths by Sass Appeal under 59.5kg, which Moody said was a great platform for the campaign ahead.
“Had she had a run under her belt we would have rolled forward and sat outside her (Sass Appeal) and we would have beat it like we did with Apocalyptic (in the Guineas),” Moody said.
“But because she hadn’t had the run, you’ve got to be mindful of where you’re going and she ran enormous.”
Ole Dancer holds down the $8 third line in all-in betting on the Surround Stakes behind Tempted ($1.50) and Apocalyptic ($4.50).
