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Torquil



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Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2012 3:57 am

PETER MOODY has been winning group 1 races for more than 10 years, but yesterday Black Caviar's trainer broke new ground when Manighar's nose victory in the $1 million Australian Cup at Flemington brought up his first group 1 weight-for-age win over a middle distance.

''I've won plenty of derbies and oaks races and obviously quite a few sprint race group 1s but I've never had this type of horse before,'' a delighted Moody said.

''I've just never had a really good weight-for-age stayer so this is something new and something I could get used to.''

In just his third run for Moody, after being transferred from the stables of England-based Luca Cumani, Manighar fought off a brave late challenge from the Australian-bred mare Southern Speed to have a nose margin on the line with just a neck away to the 2010 Melbourne Cup winner Americain in third place.

Southern Speed ($8.50) threatened to run straight past Manighar when she swooped inside the 400-metre mark, but Manighar ($7) dug deep and clawed back to win by the barest of margins. Chasing them for the entire length of the straight was Americain ($2.40 fav), which just failed by a neck to land a remarkable first-up win.

David Hayes was relieved but disappointed after the race following the brave first-up performance by what some experts say is the world's best staying horse.

''He hit the line the way we wanted, but a few little things went against him and put them together, I think it cost him victory,'' he said. ''From the outside barrier he had to go back to the tail and follow Precedence, who was never going to take him into the race. I think if he'd drawn better he wins the race.

''He certainly will be better suited over the 2400 metres of The BMW which is likely to be his next start.

''If he draws well there, I think we can ride him midfield and he'll have every chance to win.''

The immediate future of import Glass Harmonium is in some doubt after a veterinary examination after the race found he was making an abnormal respiratory noise.

After missing the start, Glass Harmonium went forward to sit second but was one of the first horses beaten.

The excuse for Illo was not of a veterinary nature but would have been just as disappointing for his connections as his rider Kerrin McEvoy told stewards the horse refused to settle by pulling too hard in the early and middle stages.

One of the most impressive middle-distance performances at Flemington yesterday came away from the Australian Cup when Lloyd and Nick Williams' import Green Moon earlier gave notice that he will be a force next spring in the majors after his first-up victory in the group 2 Blamey Stakes.

Green Moon ($11) had a length to spare over Pied A Terre ($6) with another 1½ lengths to Wall Street ($7.50) in third place.

//so the Australian style of training can improve on the English way of training stayers. Note comment on ILLO by his rider.... who couldn't hold him rather than the horse refusing to settle.
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