 Melbourne’s leading jockey Damien Oliver has helped make up for the
disappointment about missing the ride aboard Falvelon after that sprinter was scratched
from the Australia Stakes, by winning the $70,500 Leslie Froggatt Stakes (1200m) at Moonee
Valley today.Falvelon was expected to give Oliver
another Group One win in the Australia Stakes, however his trainer Dan Bougoure was forced
to scratched the dual Hong Kong winner with hoof bruising.
It was Oliver’s old mate Lee Freedman who provided
some minor joy when "Olly" guided the Freedman trained Cyberiad to a listed win.
A colt by the five time Group One winning European galloper
Spinning World, Cyberiad was only having his fourth start in the Leslie Froggatt.
Since running seventh on debut at Cranbourne the youngster
had finished runner-up at both Seymour and Geelong before today’s event.
In a driving finish Cyberiad was able to hold out the well
fancied favourite Dantana, a last start Flemington placegetter by a head. Environs, who
showed blistering early pace from a wide barrier, was a further length and three quarters
away in third place.
The disappointment of the race was the Sale trained
youngster Andalay. A winner at his past two starts at Stony Creek and Sale, the Greg
Childs mount dropped out approaching the turn and he tailed in the field, over 12 lengths
from the winner.
Leslie Froggatt served as a Committeeman of Moonee
Valley Racing Club from 1977 until his retirement in 1992. He was honoured with a
knighthood by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 1981. The Committee recognised the
contribution made by Sir Leslie to the Club by electing him a Life Member in 1992.
PIC – Quentin
Lang. |
