Flying Artie set to defy history in Group 1 Lightning Stakes
NO three-year-old has won the Group 1 Lightning Stakes since Fastnet Rock in 2005, but Flying Artie has attracted plenty of betting support ahead of Saturday’s sprinting feature.
The Mick Price-trained colt is the +340 favourite at Sportsbet.com.au following a campaign which included a win in the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes and Price believes it’s in for another top preparation.
“He’s had a good preparation. His gallop at Sandown was good. His official trial at Cranbourne was good. So for 1000 metres he’s pretty right,” Price said.
“It will be interesting to see what he does over 1000 metres. But it is a group one so that’s what we’re going for.
“I think he’s come of age a bit.
“I think he’s improved and he looks fantastic.
“He’s a really big, strong, autumn three-year-old now.”
2017 Lightning Stakes market:
Flying Artie – $4.60
Star Turn – $4.60
Spieth – $5.50
Supido – $8
Heatherly – $9
Fell Swoop – $10
Terravista – $10
Illustrious Lad – $13
The Quarterback – $15
Sheidel – $15
Counterattack – $18
Faatinah – $21
Flamberge – $41
Missrock – $51
Miss Promiscuity – $67
Orujo – $101
Peter Moody: Only bad luck beats Winx
Former trainer Peter Moody knows what it’s like to deal with the pressures of training a champion and he believes only bad luck will stop Winx.
Moody trained Black Caviar to 25-consecutive victories in an unbeaten career and with Winx currently on a 14-win streak, Moody said misfortune is the only way the champion mare will suffer defeat.
“She has got to the stage a bit like Black Caviar where the only thing that is going to bring about her downfall is misfortune and you certainly don’t wish that upon them,” Moody said.
“When I went to the races with Black Caviar basically I knew each and every time the only way she is going to get beat is if something went drastically wrong either to her or some circumstance in the race that was out of our control because the facts and figures suggest the opposition just couldn’t beat them.”
Moody said Black Caviar and Winx had similar attributes which breaks the hearts of their opposition.
“It’s their ability to put the opposition to the sword really, when they let go and they just quicken and break the hearts of the opposition,” Moody said.
“They have an unbelievable will to win but more importantly they have the ability to do it.
“I don’t think we need to be trying to compare them and let’s enjoy them for what they were and one has been and gone and (we should) enjoy the one we have currently got.
“But we’ve been fortunate the last 20 years in Australasia really. We’ve had some great mares – Sunline, Makybe Diva, Atlantic Jewel, Black Caviar and now Winx.”
Both Peter Moody and Chris Waller felt tremendous pressure when training their champion mares and it was more relief than elation when they crossed the line in first.
“I think Chris is feeling probably what I went through,” Moody said. “You don’t get to enjoy the moment then and there because it is all just a big, ‘thank god we’ve got the job done’ because of the expectation.
“It wasn’t about enjoyment, particularly for Luke (Nolen) and I, and it was about relief.
“I wouldn’t trade it for the world but it’s sad you don’t enjoy it as much as you should along the way because of the build up and I just know at the end of each day she was racing I was totally rooted.”
Melham confident She Will Reign has improved
Talented filly She Will Reign is the odds-on favourite to win Saturday’s Silver Slipper and after a blitzing nine-length trial win last week, jockey Ben Melham is confident it has improved.
The Gary Portelli-trained daughter of Manhattan Rain was a $20,000 purchase and has already won over $300,000 after winning the rich Inglis Nursery by four lengths last start.
“She felt to have definitely improved and everybody saw her trial and she was ultra impressive,” Melham said.
“The feel she gave me, she felt stronger to me this time than what she did the first time I trialled her.
“She is a really sensible filly and she is very brilliant.”
There is some concern that it hasn’t raced past 1000m in two starts to date, and with the Golden Slipper fast approaching, Melham believes Saturday’s run will be a good guide for future racing.
“Of course there is a reservation there (at 1200m) but we will get a better guide Saturday,” Melham said. “At this stage we still have to qualify and I am just going to ride the horse somewhere there on speed and if something wants to go mad and I get an opportunity to pop in behind them I might do that.
“But by the same token it’s a good asset for a two-year-old to have to jump and run, so I’m not too fazed about taking that away from her.
“I’m certainly looking forward to Saturday and I don’t think she will be letting us down.”
Silver Slipper market:
She Will Reign – -125 at Ladbrokes.com.au
Khan – $5
Veranillo – $8
Invincible Star – $13
Mystic Empire – $15
Lucky Louie – $17
Malahat – $18
Single Bullet – $19
Paradis Imperial – $26
Showtime – $26
Cuba – $34
Lightz – $67