By David Nagel
It’s fair to say that Pakenham trainer Peter Moody and his stable jockey Luke Nolen have had their fair share of nervous moments over the years.
Anyone remember Royal Ascot, June 2012, and a mighty mare called Black Caviar?
An $80,000 BenchMark-78 Handicap (1600m) at Moonee Valley, on the first Saturday of spring, was never going to induce such anxiety, but Nolen and Moody’s four-year-old gelding Pounding certainly had their moments on Saturday.
But, just like at Royal Ascot, everything worked out just fine in the end.
Nolen chose to hunt Pounding out from the inside gate, allowing the son of Exceed And Excel/Silent Entrance to settled in fifth position on the fence.
As the field turned for home, Nolen had backside as a landscape and nowhere to go.
But he also had a lap-full of horse, and when the gap opened narrowly at the top of the short Valley straight, Nolen shot through, propelling Pounding to an in-the-end pretty soft one-length victory.
As it so often does, patience had proved a virtue.
“I travelled on and off a little bit in that going,” Nolen said post-race.
“It’s probably the spot to be, but it was showing a bit of wear back to the inside because we’ve been there all day, but I built up the revs and was able to gain a needle eye (opening) and he put them away.
“He weakened a little on the line when he had a look around here, it’s pretty daunting, I think that was his first experience here.
“All in all I was very happy with his win. It’s been a very frustrating day to this point so it’s good to hit the showers on a winner.”
Owner Wylie Dalziel was confident heading into the race, despite Pounding producing a poor run on a heavy track at Ballarat at his most previous visit to the racetrack.
“Bendigo was just too wet for him,” Dalziel said.
“Moods said we’ll go to Bendigo and see if he handles the heavy – that was ticked off, he didn’t handle it.
“We came here today with a bit of confidence, but the way the track was racing, obviously he can get back in his runs, and Luke said if he jumps well I’ll try and stick to the inside and keep him a little bit on the speed.
“It was a beautiful ride, especially when he got out, so it was really pleasing.”
Dalziel is now hoping that Pounding can work his way through the ranks and out of Benchmark-78 company.
“Moods said at the start of the prep maybe he’d get him up to a better level of racing, get him up over the 2000 (metres) and possibly some country cups or those type of races,” Dalziel said.
“I’m just glad he bounced back from last start.
“I’m rapt for the ownership group, Rosemont Stud, there are great owners in the horse but unfortunately they couldn’t make it today.”
Nolen also had an important part to play on Saturday in the spring pipe-opener of Moody’s Melbourne Cup placegetter from last year, Spanish Mission.
The seven-year-old was well-held by Feehan Stakes winner Mr Brightside, but impressed Nolen in his first run back from a spell.
“Really good, on a surface that was a bit unsuitable, he bridled up lovely underneath me and rounded off good and sound, he’s in for a good prep,” Nolen explained.
“He’s pleased the camp so far and I think I was only warming the seat today.
“I’ve only ridden him twice and put in two good auditions for him, so hopefully the seas will part and I’ll get the chance to ride him.”
Spanish Mission is currently on the fourth-line of betting ($17) for this year’s famous two-miler.
