Maher To Deliver The Goods
23 February, 2018
Thoroughbred
Tough colt Money Maher is poised to strike first-up at Ascot on Saturday afternoon, where he once again tackles the older horses in the Selangor Turf Club Trophy (1400m).
The Al Maher colt won the Listed-Fairetha Stakes in November, before he was competitive in finishing seventh in both the WA Guineas and the Kingston Town Classic later in the spring.
Jarrad Noske, who piloted Money Maher to victory in the Fairetha Stakes, regains the ride tomorrow from barrier two, and has firmed from $3.10 to a $2.50 chance with TABtouch.
Co-trainer Daniel Pearce said he was confident Money Maher was forward enough to record his fourth career win on Saturday.
“He’s won his last two first-up runs,” he told TABradio’s The Sports Daily.
“He won the Fairetha first-up last prep so he should be hard to beat.
“He wasn’t in the paddock for long so he has retained a lot of fitness.”
The Adam Durrant-trained Sweet Ora is expected to provide Money Maher with strong opposition on Saturday, following her brave second to Royal Missile in the Pearl Classic at Pinjarra earlier this month.
Gangbuster and Elegant Blast are the only other runners in single figure odds in the 1400m event.
Meanwhile, Fred Kersley is hopeful a month break between runs will be the key to Zip Zam Zoom breaking through for his first win, when he lines up in the Penang Turf Club Trophy (1000m).
Zip Zam Zoom finished third behind Kiss The Breeze on debut on January 27, and Kersley said he was happy with how the gelding had progressed since his debut.
“I was very pleased with the run,” he said.
“He was hitting the line very strong off a bad barrier draw.
“This race is no easier.
“He did feel the run first-up, so I’ve had to freshen him up.
“He should give a good account of himself.”
Kersley said tomorrow’s run would give him a good idea on where he stood among this year’s two-year-olds, and if he deserved to progress to the Karrakatta Plate.
“He would have to prove himself before we had that higher ambition,” he said.
“He’s a talented horse…but I just don’t know about him yet.”
Tim Walker