He won’t be making the Makybe Diva Stakes impression of the likes of former stablemate Incentivise in 2021, but trainer Peter Moody is still looking to take positives out of Spanish Mission’s return in the Group 1 on Saturday at Flemington.
For Spanish Mission, his comeback in the Maykbe Diva Stakes ends a 53-week absence from the track following a tendon injury suffered in last year’s Feehan Stakes at The Valley and it is one that appeared most unlikely when he sustained the injury as a seven-year-old.
“It will be nice just to see him back on the track and racing again,” Moody said on Monday.
“He’s hardly been out of work all the same and he’s been rehabbing and working his way through and now here he is, he’s come up really well.
“For an old horse like him, we’d be happy to get him to the races and let him do his thing.”
Unlike with Incentivise, who won the Makybe Diva Stakes at his first Victorian start in 2021, Moody said Spanish Mission will be playing more of a minor role in the race.
“We’ll ride him quietly and let him run home and see if he can get past a few and give us some positives going forward,” said Moody, who trains in partnership with Katherine Coleman.
“He’s got a great mind. He seems very well and healthy and we know he can stay.
“It’s hard to say we’re going to see the best of him as he’s now eight (years old), but I’m looking forward to him showing us something.”
Spanish Mission made his Australian debut when prepared by UK trainer Andrew Balding to run third in the 2021 Melbourne Cup, before being switched to Moody’s stables when he was purchased by clients such as high-profile owners Brae Sokolski and Ozzie Kheir.
He was ridden by Glen Boss in his final race ride in the 2021 Sandown Classic, where he finished third, before returning in the autumn for a third placing in the Australian Cup.
Moody said no decision had been made regarding Memsie Stakes placegetter I Wish I Win’s path to next month’s Everest, but the trainer said it is certain that he will trial or have an exhibition gallop rather than race again before the $20 million sprint.
– racing.com
