Hollindale Stakes Preview: Moody Lights up the Coast

Lights Of Heaven is taken to score at Gold Coast.

Champion Melbourne trainer Peter Moody heads back "home" to Queensland this afternoon with several runners at the Gold Coast Prime Minister's Cup meeting...

The former Charleville lad now easily recognised as one of the leading trainers around the globe thanks to his handling of world champion sprinting mare Black Caviar, Moody launches his Brisbane winter team on the Gold Coast headed by talented mare Lights Of Heaven who is lining up to atone for her narrow G2 Hollindale Stakes defeat last year.

The G2 Hollindale Stakes (1800m) run under weight for age conditions generally signals the start of Brisbane's winter racing period and has become one of the major lead up races to the carnival. 

First run in 1989 it is only a relatively new feature race but in that time some of Australia's finest gallopers have taken it out including Might And Power in 1998 as well as Shogun Lodge (2000/01) and Rough Habit (1991/2) the only two winners to have managed back to back wins in the race.

Last year Shez Sinsational defeated Lights Of Heaven in a narrow finish on very heavy ground to become just the second mare to have won the race since 1989. Today Lights Of Heaven not only stakes her claim to become the third mare to take the race but to erase the memory of that narrow defeat. 

It must also be remembered Lights Of Heaven went on to take the G2 Timeform Brisbane Cup (2400m) later that winter campaign as well as running third in the G1 Caulfield Cup behind Dunaden in the spring.

A classy stayer, Lights Of Heaven has returned to racing in great form getting back into the winner's circle last time out at just her third run this preparation when she powered clear of her rivals in the G3 Neville Sellwood Stakes over 2000m at Rosehill 28 days ago and running to a Timeform rating of 116p, just three pounds under her peak figure recorded in this race last year.

Drawn slightly awkwardly in 11 should not be a concern as regular race rider Luke Nolen who has been atop the mare in all of her seven career wins should be able to take a position just off the speed before putting her into the race approaching the turn.

On Timeform weight adjusted ratings, Lights Of Heaven is the horse to beat.

However she will face stiff opposition from Foreteller, Lamasery and Solzhenitsyn.

The Chris Waller-trained Foreteller has never raced in better form reaching a new career high Timeform rating (122) two starts back with a last stride win over talented three-year-old Fiveandahalfstar in the G1 Ranvet Stakes over 2000m at Rosehill.

Then last start when tackling 2400m for the first time in the G1 BMW, Foreteller overraced early and was forced to cover plenty of additional ground when making a claim for victory approaching the home turn.

The fact he still finished just over a length from Fiveandahalfstar says much about the performance. 

The step back 600m after a 28 day break should present no problems and Waller has sharpened him up with a 1200m barrier trial at Warwick Farm last week. Interestingly Foreteller was fourth in this race last year finishing over three lengths from Lights Of Heaven but ratings suggest he is a little better galloper now.

The David Vandyke-trained Lamasery comes to this afternoon's race second up after a 175 spell from racing and although there is still improvement to come, he cannot be overlooked entirely.

Originally set for the G1 Doncaster Handicap, he was scratched from that race on race morning with an issue but against that Vandyke is a master conditioner and would not have him ready to take this field on if not ready to do so.

It was hard not to miss his great fresh up effort when tenth just over four lengths from Havana Rey in the G2 Ajax Stakes over 1500m at Rosehill and since then he has trialled over 1200m at Warwick Farm.

Last campaign Lamasery was in rare form winning the G2 Craven Plate (2000m) defeating last week's Sydney Cup winner Mourayan and running to a new Timeform rating of 118.

Lamasery is unbeaten in all four runs at this distance range and has never finished out of a place when second up, winning twice and placing twice from only four attempts.

Leading Sydney rider Brenton Avdulla who has been atop the gelding in three of his career wins makes the trek to the Gold Coast for the ride and all the signs point to a much improved performance.

The locally prepared Solzhenitsyn Timeform rated 117 is on trial at 1800m but does bring some solid G1 1600m form to the table that should make him a must include amongst the winning hopes.

Taken to Sydney for the Doncaster, Solzhenitsyn raced well when resuming in the G1 Canterbury Stakes (1200m) behind Pierro finishing third but then failed to handle the slow going in the G1 George Ryder Stakes (1500m) but still managed to finish within five lengths of Pierro who took that G1 double.

The prospect of a very heavy track on Doncaster Handicap race morning caused his scratching from that race and refocussing his attention on Brisbane and this race.

Solzhenitsyn will be right at home this afternoon and provides the locals with the best chance of repelling the interstate invasion.

Apart from Foreteller, Chris Waller will also start the ageless Danleigh. Now nine, this fellow has never been far away at the top level in the last twelve months winning the G2 Chelmsford Stakes last September and running third to stable mate Shoot Out in the G1 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) at Warwick Farm three starts back.

His run in the G1 Doncaster Handicap last time out on unsuitable track conditions caught the eye battling on well for fifth just three lengths behind Sacred Falls.

Today will be the first time in 61 career starts that Danleigh has raced past 1600m, but the way he found the line last time out does suggest it should pose no problems for him.

If there is an upset, the Moody trained imported galloper Voila Ici could provide it. In any case he should go into the multiples as a value hope.

The grey is in his second Australian campaign but he did show a glimpse of what he is capable of last spring running second to Ocean Park in the G1 Underwood Stakes (1800m) and fourth in the G1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m).

Today he will be third up from a spell and comes into the race off the back of two very ordinary efforts. However Moody has elected for significant gear changes in applying blinkers for the first time and removing the nose roll.

With little or no pace in the race, new rider Chris Munce could easily dictate and take running down.

Enjoy a great start to the Brisbane winter carnival.

Recommendation:
(Off time 06:50 BST)
Back Lights Of Heaven in the Hollindale Stakes

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