By JARROD POTTER AND ROY ASPINALL
A 20-week spell paid off handsomely for Peter Moody trained Office Bearer, as the four-year-old stormed home triumphantly to win the City of Greater Dandenong Stakes.
Expertly taken wide in the $120,000 listed City of Greater Dandenong Stakes (1200m) and out of congestion by jockey Linda Meech at Sportingbet Park (Sandown) on Saturday afternoon, Office Bearer stormed home from sixth at the 800m post to claim its fifth win in 10 starts.
The no-restriction Stake’s winner flew past the rest of the first to win by 1.5 lengths over Go The Knuckle and Happy Galaxy in the marquee race of the 11th annual City of Greater Dandenong Race Day.
Moody’s racing manager Jeff O’Connor said Meech rode Office Bearer perfectly and let the horse find its way through to the winning post.
“She (Meech) didn’t panic once she was caught out a little bit wide,” O’Connor said.
“On paces seem to be holding up today (Saturday) and off the rail and in the straight, so she was in the right spot and just let her horse travel kindly into the race and he went away with it so it was a terrific result.”
Value adding for the future, the Moody stables are impressing in Black Type racing recently and hope to get Office Bearer and stable-mate Ready to Rip prepared for a big month ahead.
“We’re having a pretty good run – especially in Black Type races again such as this,” O’Connor said.
“We’ve got the team going pretty well and I think the winner and also Ready to Rip will be horses to follow in the next month as it’s still early in their preps.”
City of Greater Dandenong mayor Jim Memeti said the event highlighted the fantastic redevelopments to Sportingbet Park and proved a memorable family day out for the residents of the city.
“Absolutely first class facilities and the surface looks fantastic,” Cr Memeti said.
“It’s great to be part of the sponsoring of the City of Greater Dandenong Stakes and City of Greater Dandenong Race Day.
“It’s a family event where people who want to come have free entry to the meet and we’re really fortunate to have a venue like this in our city.”
Riding honours for the day went to apprentice Patrick Moloney who rode a winning double on Angola for trainer Pat Carey in the $100,000 Burbank Homes Handicap (2100 metres) and Dany The Fox for Mick Price in the $80,000 Noble Park Plate (1400 metres). The latter win also provided Mick Price with training honours having earlier won the $80,000 Hilton Manufacturing Handicap (1300 metres) with Tango’s Daughter.
The one to watch for the day was Our Voodoo Prince, winner of the $80,000 Surdex Steel Handicap (1600 metres). Prepared by top Sydney trainer, Chris Waller, the six-year-old son of the great mare, Ouija Board, was having his first start in Australia after winning three races in England. Much bigger things look in store for him.
