Melbourne Cup Betting

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Moody's Moment Wins First Group 1

Leading Melbourne trainer Peter Moody won his first Group 1 of the Spring, after talented 4 year old Moment Of Change proved too strong in the 1400m Rupert Clarke Stakes in Caulfield on Sunday.

The gelding has always been very promising in Moody's eyes and this opinion proved warranted after the impressive 1.5 length victory.  Despite having the outside barrier and needing luck in running, Moment Of Change showed his class, getting into the open at the 250 metre mark and powering home to beat We're Gonna Rock who ran on for second.

Queenslander Solzhenitsyn, who'd won his last four races, battled hard for third placing, with Glass Harmonium finishing off strong into fourth, showing no signs of an issue since his two throat operations.

But all eyes were on Moment Of Change, who will likely go on to the 1600 metre Toorak Handicap at Caulfield in a fortnight.

Moody is confident he can make it back to back Group 1's.

"He's a bloody good horse, that was a super win", he said.

Sydney's supermare More Joyous may also look to contest the Toorak, however if she does, she will have to carry 61 kilograms. This would give Moment Of Change a 7kg advantage, which would give a great chance to the in form runner.

In other racing on the day, Golden Rose winner Epaulette won the Group 3 Guineas Prelude, sneaking home against Let Go Lenni and Awesome Bro.

The Peter Snowden trained Epaulette took his overall prizemoney to almost $1 million, and is the only real legitimate challenger to Pierro in the Caufield Guineas in a fortnight. Epaulette finished within a neck of Pierro back in March this year, and his $7 odds in the race show punters think he's a slight chance.

In the listed Testa Rossa Stakes, Miss Marx showed a very strong dash to claim the 1200 metre event narrowly from outsider McClintock, who raced on pace and kept finding down the straight.

Miss Marx ran second to More Joyous in the Sheraco Stakes in her last start, and proved it was no fluke with the victory on Sunday. She will likely go to the Manikato Stakes at Moonee Valley on October 26.