I had a rare weekend off but a look at the videos from Saturday's Moonee Valley meeting showed plenty of good runs worth following through the month of September.
FOUNDATION
The impressive return of Melbourne Cup winner Almandin rightly took the attention from the Moonee Valley race but there was plenty to like about Foundation's vastly improved effort. The import simply didn't get warm when resuming over 1600m at Flemington on August 5 but the addition of blinkers and a step up in trip were enough for the son of Zoffany to produce a much better effort to finish third, only 1 ½ lengths from the winner. Regan Bayliss let Foundation roll along in front and the gelding did a good job to box on well for third. He'll be fitter again for that and can give his opposition something to chase in the next few weeks.
Career record (13:3-1-5).
Race to look for – Open class races around the 2000m range.
HANS HOLBEIN
He's another import that raced in the shadow of his Melbourne Cup-winning stablemate but Hans Holbein resumed with a solid effort at Moonee Valley to indicate he has come back at least as well as he did last time in. Hans Holbein has been in Australia for 18 months now and showed his staying potential with two dominant wins in his four-start autumn campaign. He rolled forward and raced handy to the speed but was just outsprinted first-up at the Valley but only finished 2 ½ lengths from the winner. He showed genuine staying talent when he got to 2400m and beyond last time in. He's one that will need to win a race or two to get near the Melbourne Cup field if owner Lloyd Williams wants to go that way with him so he'll be competitive in anything over 2400m and further.
Career record (13:4-1-1).
Race to look for – Any race over 2400m or further.
HARLOW GOLD
This filly went winless but was competitive against the best three-year-old fillies in her distance range last time in before perhaps going one run too many when unplaced in the Schweppes Oaks in May. However, the Hayes and Dabernig-trained galloper did a good job at her maiden four-year-old outing at Moonee Valley. Stewards noted she was held up around the home turn before chasing well to finish 2 ½ lengths from the winner Here To There in the penultimate race of the meeting. She hasn't won since last spring but she is capable of changing that situation shortly.
Career record (13:2-1-3).
Race to look for – Open races between 1600m and 2000m.
See a run you especially liked at Moonee Valley? Let our audience know via the comments section.
