Trainer Daniel Bowman has revealed that Rain Affair may not take up the running in the 2015 Moir Stakes at Moonee Valley on Friday night.
Rain Affair will make his debut for new trainer Daniel Bowman in the 2015 Moir Stakes at Moonee Valley on Friday night. Photo by: Steve Hart
Rain Affair has been a front-runner since he made his racing debut with a win at Canterbury in October of 2010 and he took up the running before tiring badly late in his six starts during the 2015 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival.
Owner Donald Storey elected to send Rain Affair to the Warrnambool-based stable of Rain Affair in an attempt to rejuvenate the eight-year-old and Bowman believes that the son of Commands has relished his new environment, but it is a tactic change that could turn around the fortunes of the Group 1 placegetter in the 2015 Moir Stakes tomorrow night.
“I couldn’t be happier with him at this point in time,” Bowman told Racing Ahead.
“He is really enjoying everything that we do with him.
“He had his last gallop on Monday and we just poked along with him since then and he is feeling well, is bouncing around and he is nice and fresh and ready to go.
“If his cruising speed is quick enough to lead then so be it, but if he can be comfortable in his own action with plenty of galloping room and not lose any momentum.
“At this age that if something is leading him he is not going to rip and tear to get in front of it.
“He doesn’t have to lead, but he just needs plenty of galloping room because he has a big, long stride and if he loses momentum at any stage he may be in a bit of a strife.
The 2015 Moir Stakes field has drawn a very interesting field and talented fillies Petits Filous and Fontiton are both clear favourites in the betting market with Ladbrokes, while Rain Affair is the extreme outsider at Moir Stakes odds of $51.
Bowman admits that Rain Affair may struggle to match it with the pair of talented fillies, but he believes that toughness will play a bit part in the Moir Stakes and he said there is no certainty that either filly will be able to make the step-up to weight-for-age level.
“I think that the younger ones may be a bit sharp for him, but it is weight-for-age and a sprint,” Bowman said.
“You have to be tough to win those weight-for-age sprint races and Petits Filous and Fontiton are coming up to race the big boys and it is a big jump from juvenile class.
“I know they get a good weight relief, but it is going to be really tough and we know he is tough, but it is just whether his best is still good enough.”
Rain Affair has not recorded a race win since he took out the 2013 edition of the Group 3 Missile Stakes (1200m) and he is chasing his first Group 1 victory after previously being placed in the 2012 T.J. Smith Stakes, the 2012 All Aged Stakes, the 2013 All Aged Stakes and the 2013 BTC Cup.
