Huegill formed part of a More Than Ready (USA) treble on Wednesday and trainer Peter Moody still harbours classic aspirations with the impressive 3yo star, writes ANZ Bloodstocknews.
The son of More Than Ready (USA) came from midfield to run down the well-backed leader Rescue Mission (Darci Brahma) for a comfortable one and a quarter length win in the $30,000 PFD Food Services 3yo Handicap over 1400 metres on the Lakeside course.
“He got no favours. He got pushed off the track down the hill and on the turn,” Moody said on TVN, adding, “He’s a very good colt and still learning what it’s all about. There are some good races in him.”
Huegill (3 c More Than Ready – Trust Antonia, by National Assembly) made it two straight wins from four starts having won a Cranbourne Maiden by six lengths on his previous start, and Moody said he would wait and see how Smart Missile (Fastnet Rock) and Helmet (Exceed And Excel) performed in their respective races at Caulfield on Saturday before deciding if he will send Huegill on to the Caulfield Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m).
Smart Missile has drawn the outside barrier (17) against older horses in Saturday’s Rupert Clarke Stakes (Gr 1) over 1400 metres at Caulfield. “If Smart Missile wins from there I don’t think there’s sense taking him on in the Guineas,” Moody said. “They might be better than us which means we mightn’t want to go to the Guineas, but if they’re cream puff champions we might have to have a crack.”
“He (Huegill) should be going to a Listed race at Flemington on Sunday week and then probably going to the paddock because he’s the sort of horse who could win the Australian Guineas in the autumn,” Moody continued. “Whether he’s mature enough in the brain to be going to the Caulfield Guineas is questionable, but what will make that decision easier is seeing these other horses run.”
More Than Ready sired a winning double at Warwick Farm courtesy of debutant Prinsengracht (More Than Ready) in the $27,000 Lansvale Maiden over 1300 metres, and Champing who took the $27,000 Benchmark 75 Handicap over 1100 metres.
The Anthony Cummings-trained Prinsengracht (4 g More Than Ready – True Confession, by Naturalism) may have started at $51 but he showed a good turn of foot in the straight rush home to defeat Baranski (O’Reilly) by three-quarters of a length.
Cummings explained that Prinsengracht, who cost $100,000 as a yearling at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Sale, had had three preparations but was a horse that just needed some time. “I’m not sure where their sights are set but I think his long-term aims are a lot higher than today.”
“He’s a lovely horse so it didn’t really surprise me,” winning jockey Nash Rawiller said afterwards. “He gave me a good feel running to the barriers. We needed to overcome a wide barrier but we were able to do that, he got a lovely cart into the race and the further he went the better he felt.”
