Chris Waller’s veteran galloper Index Linked continued his improving form with a tidy win in the Mornington Cup Prelude 2015 on Blue Diamond Stakes Day at Caulfield Racecourse this afternoon.
Index Linked is onto the 2015 Mornington Cup after winning the Prelude at Caulfield on Blue Diamond Stakes Day. Photo: Sarah Ebbett.
The Dansili seven-year-old injured himself badly after a win over the 2000m at Flemington back in January last year and has taken his time getting back into top form according to Waller’s stable representative Justine Hales.
“He’s a very, very tough horse,” she said.
“I like the horse a lot. He has had his share of problems.”
That top form was certainly on display in the last at Caulfield today however, the galloper enjoying a run over his pet distance in the $120,000 Listed Mornington Cup Prelude (2000m) with ace hoop Glen Boss in the saddle.
The galloper had a horror start to his summer – autumn campaign with two unplaced and luckless Flemington runs in January before a nice second over 1800m here at Caulfield a fortnight ago with Boss aboard on 60kg.
In the Mornington Cup Prelude Index Linked relished a drop back to 56kg and got a good run from the inside barrier.
Spurtonic took up the lead with Scelto sliding into second, the Tony McEvoy-trained Big Memory slotting in third after settling.
Index Linked ($4.60) meanwhile got a lovely run along the rails in fourth on the inside of Big Memory, who peeled out four wide to make his run approaching the turn.
The eventual Mornington Cup Prelude winner meanwhile shot to the lead at the top of the straight after Boss eased him out, powering through in an honest performance to get back in the winner’s stall off the perfect run.
One the line the horse dug deep and had three-quarters of a length to spare over the David Hayes & Tom Dabernig-trained eight-year-old Extra Zero ($8) who also raced well in this grade for his age.
“Once he gets up to his optimal distance of 2000m he comes into his own,” Boss said after the win.
“He’s a funny horse. You’ve got to have an understanding of him.
“He looks like he pulls hard but it’s just his head carriage.”
Finishing off the trifecta in third was then the 60kg top weigh Big Memory ($3.70) who did well with the kilos second-up off a fourth to Smokin’ Joey, second in today’s Group 1 Futurity Stakes (1400m), in the Group 3 Carlyon Cup (1600m) on February 14.
Plans from the Waller camp are to keep Index Linked in this class of company and go into the $350,000 Listed Mornington Cup (2400m) on March 28 chasing the nice prize money on offer, a race Boss believes he can do well in.
“He’s got decent form. He’s a serious racehorse,” Boss said.
“He can go to the Mornington race now…I think he’ll run pretty well.”
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