Bowman rides Kiwi hopes on big day
Hugh Bowman has an important ride at Moonee Valley on Saturday.
But before he throws his leg over Winx in the Cox Plate he has a couple of engagements with New Zealand-owned contestants on the meeting’s undercard.
The first is for Wellington owner Lib Petagna aboard Rosa Carolina in a Listed 1200m race.
Rosa Carolina began life with Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman at Cambridge before joining Kris Lees’ Newcastle stable.
She has run well since the move with a win and second before finishing unplaced off a wide run at her last start.
She’s drawn 14 for Bowman on Saturday but she is capable of bouncing back to form.
Lucia Valentina tackles Winx in the Cox Plate for Petagna and she also races from the Lees stable after beginning her career in Cam- bridge with Stephen Marsh.
Bowman jumps on Lady Le Fay in a Group III 1600m for his crew of Kiwi owners.
The Thorn Park mare began her racing days from the Shailer brothers barn at Matamata before being shipped to expat Chris Waller’s Sydney stable.
She ran a slashing second last start in the Angst Stakes at Randwick and should be cherry ripe for this race.
Her main danger could be NZbred Alaskan Rose trained by fellow expat Mike Moroney.
Baker and Forsman step out La Luna Rossa in the Group II Fillies Classic for the Jomara Bloodstock team of former All Black Mark Carter, his brother John and sister Rachael.
She ran second first-up at Caulfield and then missed in the 1000 Guineas after she was trapped wide in the running. Mark Zahra replaces the suspended Damian Oliver as her jockey.
Moonee Valley Cup combatants Who Shot Thebarman and Pen- tathlon have strong New Zealand ties.
Both horses are on the road to the Melbourne Cup, Who Shot Thebarman with Bowman in the saddle is $4 favourite for the O’Leary family of Whanganui.
He began life with Mark Oulaghan at Awapuni before he went to Waller’s Sydney stable and has won $2.25 million to date while New Plymouth’s John Wheeler prepares Pentathlon.
Wheeler has always touted Pentathlon as a top class stayer and is happy with his progress in Melbourne.
The Kiwis round off a busy Moonee Valley programme with one of the best of the day, Victoria Derby-bound Sacred Elixir for Cambridge trainer Tony Pike in the Super Vase (2040m) ridden by Damien Lane.
In Sydney on Saturday Gustavo, as he was known when trained by Baker and Forsman, will make his Australian debut as Mr Gustavo.
He runs in the Filante Handicap (1400m) at Randwick for Warwick Farm-based Bjorn Baker.
Owned by Scott Richardson, Mr Gustavo, who won the Anzac Mile at Awapuni in April, took out a 1200m barrier trial at Randwick on October 11 in preparation.