Damian Wilson salutes the crowd following Lively Moth's Vicbred win
Punters can be an unforgiving bunch and they paid for their intolerance in Friday night’s Vicbred Super Series 2YO Fillies Final at Melton’s Tabcorp Park.
Classy Kilmore youngster Lively Moth was nominal favourite for the $100,000 Group 1 final heading into the series, but semi final defeat as an odds-on favourite saw her boom lowered a level.
But the daughter of Live Or Die made those who jumped ship pay when she overcame a tricky barrier to blow away her rivals in the 2240-metre decider.
Trainer Tony Peacock said it was a great performance and confirmed her status as one of the better youngsters he’s trained.
“They (punters) can be quick to right them off, but we still thought she was the best filly in it, she just needed to be able to get a crack at them,” Peacock said.
“She’s fast and she’s strong, she’s a very good filly, and I think she’s as good as there is around.”
It’s hard to argue after Friday night. Lively Moth was buried away three-back the pegs while Beach Melody was ambling through a 33.7-second first quarter after a moderate 47.6sec lead time, but she unleashed a brilliant final burst.
Damian Wilson didn’t get the $4 chance off the pegs until the 400m, when she spotted Beach Melody around 10m, but accelerated swiftly once pulled to the outside to reel in spruik filly Aussie Made Lombo about 50m from home.
Chris Alford gave Aussie Made Lombo a cosy run in the one-out one-back and the $1.80 favourite loomed alongside Beach Melody ($7) ominously turning for home but couldn’t withstand Lively Moth’s final burst.
Aussie Made Lombo finished 1.7m from Lively Moth and a head clear of Milliara Lombo ($44), who cashed in on a sweet trip on the leader’s back to sprint-lane into third placing.
A 56.5sec last half-mile – 28.3 and 28.2sec quarters – secured a 2:01.2 mile rate.
Peacock admitted he thought the race was lost after the slow first half of the race, but was thrilled to see her get into clear early enough to mount a challenge.
“When they were going so slow I thought we had no hope, but then they really started to turn it on and the runs came and I knew she was going to be in it. I didn’t know if she could win on the turn, but I knew she’d be in the finish.”
Lively Moth, who now boasts six wins from nine starts and $119,300 in stakes, will have a quiet few days before being set for the Tabcorp Australasian Breeders Crown heats at Yarra Valley on July 26.
The $308,000 Group 1 Breeders Crown final is at Tabcorp Park on Sunday, August 22.
Verdict Delivers In Vicbred Final
Royal Verdict is in the running to score the big treble for two-year-old males after winning Friday night’s Yeomans Slate & Stone Vicbred Super Series 2YO Colts & Geldings Final.
The son of Dawn Ofa New Day, who is prepared by Ian Dornauf at Mernda, added the $100,000 Group 1 Vicbred title to the $300,000 Australian Pacing Gold crown he won at Menangle in April.
The only major missing from his CV is the Tabcorp Australasian Breeders Crown with the $308,000 Group 1 final of that series to be run at Tabcorp Park on August 22.
Royal Verdict secured nominal favouritism for that series with the fifth win of a seven-start career that has now generated $239,375 in stakes.
He bounced back from defeat in his two Vicbred qualifiers – including a controversial semi final second to Devilish Smile when Dornauf was outed for six weeks on two separate charges – when he overcame a horror draw in the final.
Royal Verdict was fired out from barrier six by Dornauf, who then tried to slot in behind Devilish Smile, but couldn’t and caused some tightening on Jilliby Dasher as Kerryn Manning tried to hold the prized position.
The star colt then faced the breeze until Farmersntradies assumed the spot outside Devilish Smile and Dornauf stayed there until peeling three-wide 400m from home.
He served it up to Devilish Smile turning for home and hit the front at the 150m after which he had to dig deep to hold off Ronald George, who was caught in traffic rounding the bend and didn’t get clear until well into the straight.
The $1.90 favourite held on to score by a neck from the Peter Tonkin-trained improver, who started at $10, with $3.60 second elect Devilish Smile a half-head back in third spot.
The mile rate was 1:59.3, which included closing sections of 29.5 and 28.6 seconds.
Royal Verdict will launch his Breeders Crown campaign in the heats at Kilmore on Tuesday, July 27
