The Melbourne trainers’ premiership, for so long considered a showdown between two stables, has a confirmed third contender.
Darren Weir and the Lindsay Park team of David Hayes and Tom Dabernig have been fighting for premiership honours, but a winning treble at Moonee Valley catapulted Peter Moody into second place on the premiership table.
After the victories of Kinglike, Metaphorical and Orion, Moody trained 10 city winners during May to take him to 59 for the season.
He is four wins behind Weir after the premiership pacesetter won with Academy Jack.
Moody’s decision to keep Metaphorical in Melbourne paid dividends with the mare producing a late surge to win in the Schweppes Handicap (1600m).
Despite easing from $3.10 to $4.80, Metaphorical, ridden by Luke Nolen, chased down the leader Lord Durante ($12 to $8.50) to score a half-length win.
With Moody in Brisbane for the Queensland Oaks meeting, stable representative Stephanie Little said she wasn’t sure whether the trainer had plans to send Metaphorical to Queensland for the remainder of the carnival.
“Pete’s always trying to get that black type with the fillies and mares for the owners and no doubt he’ll be trying to do that with her,” Little said.
Metaphorical’s win provided Nolen with a winning double.
