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2014 Moonga Stakes Final Field Led by River Lad

October 15, 2014

2014 Moonga Stakes Final Field Led by River Lad

Fourteen horses have declared for the Group 3 Moonga Stakes (1400m) running at Caulfield Racecourse this Saturday, after the final field & barrier draw was released Wednesday.

River Lad headlines the 2014 Moonga Stakes final field.

River Lad headlines the 2014 Moonga Stakes final field. Photo by Daniel Costello.

Headlining the 2014 Moonga Stakes field is the Natalie McCall-trained River Lad.

The seven-year-old gelding enjoyed wins in the Group 3 BRC Sprint (1350m) and Group 1 Stradbroke (1400m) during the Brisbane Winter Carnival but missed out on a minor placing in his sole spring run – the Group 2 Gilgai Stakes (1200m) – by just a neck.

He has drawn wide in barrier 12 for the Moonga, which champion jockey Damien Oliver will need to overcome. However his Straddie win came from a similarly wide draw, so a win isn’t out of reach just yet.

Wez Hunter’s Smokin’ Joey won the Group 1 Goodwood (1200m) back in May then followed much the same course as River Lad, running in the Stradbroke and Gilgai Stakes. However the gelding failed to impress, finishing eighth in both races.

He will enjoy a start from barrier four on Saturday with Ben Melham in the saddle.

The Ron Leemon-trained Manawanui will also start wide in his second Moonga Stakes after drawing barrier 10. However he’ll be partnered with Tye Angland, who brought him home in the Group 3 Bill Ritchie Handicap (1400m) for a last-start win.

The gelding finished eighth last year, despite enjoying the inside run. It capped off a disappointing spring campaign that included a last place in the Group 2 Bowermans Shorts (1100m).

After exactly 11 months off, he returned in great form to win the Bill Ritchie and will want to amend his form in the Moonga Stakes.

Final Crescendo, third to Chautauqua in the Gilgai, will enjoy the inside run after drawing barrier one with Craig Newitt to ride.

Godolphin will be dually represented by the John O’Shea-trained duo Generalife and Limes.

With so much racing action taking place this weekend on Caulfield Cup Day, make sure you take a punt on the 2014 Moonga Stakes at Ladbrokes.com.au.

Check out the complete final field & barrier draw below to help you make an informed choice.

2014 Moonga Stakes Final Field & Barrier Draw

Caulfield Race 5 – 18/10/2014

No Last 10 Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight H Rating
1 4x12x711x4 RIVER LAD Natalie McCall Damien Oliver 12 59.5kg 110
2 0x803618x8 SMOKIN’ JOEY Wez Hunter Ben Melham 4 59.5kg 106
3 0x50x098x1 MANAWANUI Ron Leemon Tye Angland 10 57.5kg 104
4 515541×107 FLAMBERGE Peter G Moody Chad Schofield 6 57.5kg 103
5 00x000x322 LUCKY HUSSLER Darren Weir Glen Boss 13 57.5kg 95
6 112x11212x LEEBAZ (NZ) Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes Dwayne Dunn 3 57.5kg 102
7 1222x417x9 LIMES John O’Shea Steven Arnold 7 56.5kg 100
8 x3713111x4 GENERALIFE John O’Shea Kerrin McEvoy 14 56.5kg 102
9 3118431321 UNDER THE LOUVRE Robert Smerdon Nicholas Hall 8 56.5kg 96
10 x350x1211x IRE INAZUMA (JPN) Tomoyuki Umeda Zac Purton 2 56kg 90
11 x90x80629x MUTUAL TRUST (GB) Sam Pritchard-Gordon Craig Williams 11 56kg 100
12 x11412x013 FINAL CRESCENDO David Kelly Craig Newitt 1 56kg 92
13 x316533x30 RYKER Gai Waterhouse Tommy Berry 9 56kg 86
14 310x4x780x RAIZAN (JPN) Yoshito Yahagi Christophe Lemaire 5 56kg 70

Racing fields and data are copyright 2011-2021 © Racing Australia Pty Ltd (RA) (and other parties working with it).
Racing materials, including fields, form and results, is subject to copyright which is owned by RA and other parties working with it. Full copyright notice.

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