Kiss A Rose stamped herself as a filly to watch with her victory in the Group 3 Quezette Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on Saturday but trainer Peter Moody said he plans on giving the daughter of Sebring a light spring.
Trainer Peter Moody believes that Quezette Stakes winner Kiss A Rose will be a better horse in the autumn. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
The three-year-old was having just her second career start in the Quezette Stakes on Saturday and flew home down the outside of the field to record a narrow victory from Metastasio and Chloe In Paris.
Craig Williams claimed after the race that his mount Metastasio was unlucky to be beaten, after losing ground during the running of the race, but Moody told Radio Sports National that his filly would have had similar excuses if she had been beaten.
“She basically jumped from a maiden straight into Group company and it was a good effort,” Moody said.
“I know that there were a lot of horses that were unlucky in that race but if you read into her run Vlad (Duric) thought that he had lost the race on the home turn when he had to get a length and a half back on her to get to the outside.
“Arguably had she been beaten you could have put her in that category as well.”
The Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield on October 16 is the major spring target for Kiss A Rose but Moody said he doesn’t plan on giving her, or stablemate Spirit Of Heaven, a lengthy spring campaign.
“My line of thought with them is that they would have a pretty light spring, hoping that they would be bigger and better come the autumn,” the leading trainer said.
“I will probably step them up to 1400 now, there is no rush to get them back to the races.
“I would be very pleased if they got to the Thousand Guineas but they will only go there if their condition and form warrants it.
“If not I wouldn’t hesitate to put them out and get them ready for the autumn, where they will be best suited. “
Moody is chasing his first win in the Thousand Guineas and has nominated fifteen fillies for the spring feature.
