Flamberge made it back-to-back Group 1 scores and sent trainer Peter Moody into retirement on the highest possible note when taking the G1 William Reid S. under the lights at Moonee Valley Thursday.
It was the third Group 1 win for the seasoned gelding, who scored his first win at the highest level in the Goodwood Cup at Morphetville last May. Second to the champion sprinter Chautauqua (Aus) (Encosta de Lago {Aus}) first-up in the G2 McEwan S. in the spring, Flamberge had to settle for sixth in this track's G1 Moir S. Oct. 2 but bounced back to take the Listed Durbridge S. back over the track-and-trip of his Goodwood score two weeks later. Seventh in the G1 Darley Classic to round out his campaign Nov. 7, Flamberge bounced back to take the Feb. 27 G1 Oakleigh Plate at odds of 30-1, but nonetheless still failed to garner much respect Thursday, sent off at 11-1. Enjoying a dream run under Brad Rawiller on the fence and no more than three lengths off the lead racing into the sweeping Moonee Valley turn, Flamberge found the rail wide-open as the front-running Holler (Aus) (Commands {Aus}) led the field into the short straight. Hooking up with that rival passing the 200 metre mark, Flamberge got his nose in front on the line as Japonisme rallied strongly down the outside.
“He's a remarkable little horse. It's no secret he grew on us over a period of time,” Moody told Breednet.com.au. “I didn't see a big future in him but he just kept winning races. He won a Goodwood and we were over the world. He won an Oakleigh Plate and we thought we had every Pancake Day we could find and to do this tonight is unbelievably special. It will stick with me for a while.”
The Moody-trained runners on Thursday's card were the last for the champion Victorian trainer, whose six-month suspension for a cobalt charge took affect at midnight Thursday. Moody was last week cleared of the most serious charge, intentionally administering cobalt to affect performance, and thus dodged a minimum three-year suspension, but was nonetheless handed a six-month ban for presenting a horse to race with cobalt in its system above the permitted threshold. Moody had initially indicated he would return to training after the ban ended, but changed his mind in the following days.
“That makes it impossible to come back because that can't be bettered,” Moody told Racing.com after the William Reid. “It's not the ideal circumstances to finish your career with a little bit of murky water there–let's not kid ourselves–but to take that Group 1 home tonight is pretty special.”
Flamberge races as a homebred for Racing Victoria Chairman David Moodie, a longtime patron of Peter Moody who also campaign the gelding's stakes-winning full-sister, Curtana, with the same trainer. Their dam, Razor Blade, has a yearling colt by Helmet (Aus) and produced a Redoute's Choice (Aus) colt last year.
Thursday, Moonee Valley, Australia
WILLIAM REID S.-G1, A$500,000, 3-24, Moonee Valley, 1200mT, 1:09.85, gd.
1–FLAMBERGE (AUS), 129, g, 6, by Exceed and Excel (Aus)
1st Dam: Razor Blade (Aus) (GSW-Aus, $169,115), by Blazing Sword (Aus)
2nd Dam: Coalition (Aus), by Pre Emptive Strike
3rd Dam: Regal Fantasy (NZ), by Sir Tristram (Ire)
O-Contract Racing & Breeding Pty Ltd (Mgr: D J Moodie); B-D
Moodie; T-Peter Moody; J-B Rawiller; A$300,000. Lifetime
Record: 22-7-3-2, A$1,725,630. *Full to Curtana (Aus), SW &
G1SP-Aus, $649,267; 1/2 to Sunburnt Land (Aus) (Scenic {Ire}),
GSW & G1SP-Aus, $296,926; Joyeuse (Aus) (King's Best), SP-
Aus, $202,502; and Durendal (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro), GSW-
Aus, $329,667. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Holler (Aus), 123, c, 3, Commands (Aus)–Shouts (Aus), by
Strategic (Aus). O-Godolphin; B-Darley; T-John O'Shea.
A$90,000.
3–Japonisme (Aus), 123, g, 3, Choisir (Aus)–Haiku (Aus), by
Encosta de Lago (Aus). O/B-Ingham Racing.; T-Chris Waller.
A$45,000.
Margins: SHD, SHD, 3/4. Odds: 11.00, 3.40, 4.50.
Also Ran: Fast 'N' Rocking (Aus), The Quarterback (Aus), Churchill Dancer (Aus), Scarlet Billows (Aus), Gregers (Aus), Lucky Hussler (Aus), It Is Written (Aus), Headwater (Aus), Kinglike (Aus). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
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