Peter Moody continued his Winter Championship love affair with Club Command claiming Saturday's Flemington heat Club Command helped Peter Moody develop a unique record in the TROA/Luxbet Winter Championship with the master trainer having now won Heat 6 of the series in three of the last four years.
Straight to the front, and first home; that was the tactic the Moody stable employed in winning the $80,000 heat over 1410 metres at Flemington today.
“We decided before the race that we had to be positive from the gate (10) and there was nowhere else we wanted to be than in the lead”, said James Horton who represented Moody at Flemington with the premier trainer in Brisbane for the Group 1 Tatts Tiara meeting.
In a thrilling finish Club Command ($4.40) hung on to defeat perennial bridesmaid Another Prelate ($11) by a nose and deny his owners, the Bourke family, an emotional win on David Bourke Provincial Plate Day.
Third across the line, 1.5 lengths further back was Under The Hat ($16) marginally ahead of race favourite That’s The One ($4.20) who shouldered topweight of 58kg.
In 13 starts Club Command, a four-year-old gelding by Commands, is building an imposing record, now at six wins and six minor placings.
“He’s very, very honest and in every run this preparation he had put his heart on the line”, Horton noted.
“He ran enormously in his run first up against Ready To Rip at Caulfield (2nd, 23 March) and he was unlucky at Moonee Valley (4th, 6 April) – the only time he has missed a place this preparation – and he has deserved this win today.”
As for whether Club Command will line up in the $200,000 Listed Winter Championship Final (1600m) on 6 July, Horton said a the long preparation leading up to this win would play a major factor in considerations.
Peter Moody trained Doubtful Jack to win Heat 6 in 2010 and There’s Only One in 2012 with Doubtful Jack the only one of the pair to go on and win the coveted Final.
Club Command was jockey Daniel Stackhouse’s 84th winner for the 2012/13 season and helped him deliver a race day double having also steered Lady Lakshmi to victory in the first event. Click to view official result
Points Table after Heat 6
