Smerdon brings up 100th winner for season
A Group Three race interstate had been the original plan with Odyssey Moon but instead the colt ended up winning at Flemington.
Trainer Robert Smerdon was planning on sending Odyssey Moon to Brisbane for Saturday’s Healy Stakes at Eagle Farm but transport issues meant the horse couldn’t get a flight.
Smerdon had entered Odyssey Moon for Saturday’s Midwest Bellarine Handicap (1100m) at Flemington as a contingency and the Group One-placed colt was sent out the $4.80 favourite.
With Craig Newitt aboard, Odyssey Moon sprinted to a three-quarters of a length win over Runsati with Ruettiger another half head away third.
Odyssey Moon’s first stakes victory brought up a winning double at Flemington for Smerdon, who had earlier won with Iggimacool, and in the process it brought up the trainer’s 100th winner for the season.
“We had him nominated here as a fall back, never thinking we would be coming here, but that’s the way it played out and it wasn’t a bad option,” Smerdon said.
Smerdon will consider whether to run Odyssey Moon in the Listed Creswick Series Final against his own age at Flemington in two weeks or target the Listed All Victorian Sprint Series Final against older horses.