Sandown switch a bonus for Forgeress
One trainer not complaining about the transfer of the Moonee Valley meeting to Sandown was Quinton Scott.
His six-year-old mare Forgeress broke an 11-month drought when taking out the Ladbrokes Odds Boost Handicap on Saturday.
Ridden by Jessica Payne, Forgeress ($5.50) scored a three-quarter length victory from A Lotta Love ($3.80 fav) with Danestroem ($13) the same margin away third.
Saturday’s meeting was transferred from Moonee Valley to allow that course extra recovery time from a grass disease that affected the track in March.
Upon hearing news of the transfer late last week, Scott had a change of plans and decided to head to Saturday’s 1300m contest.
“This meeting was going to be at the Valley and she wouldn’t have run there because she can’t get around that track,” Scott said.
“So when it came here I thought this is our chance and we decided to have a crack.
“Hopefully there’s another meeting coming up soon.”
Scott said Forgeress is in her last season of racing before retiring to the breeding barn and he’s hopeful of a wet winter ahead.
“Her last two runs had been pretty good when she didn’t have a lot of luck but the claim today let her in and certainly the rain helped,” Scott said.
Payne dropped her near side rein aboard Forgeress in the straight, with the mare wanting to lay-in.
“I went to change my grip and it slipped because of the rain,” Payne said.
“It was a silly mistake and luckily it didn’t cost us a win.”